Silk Flags
by saxophonic23
Summary: Gan Ning leaves his pirating days to search for something worthwhile. Upon joining Wu, he finds more than he bargained for. Gan Ning x Sun Shang Xiang. Rating may go up. UPDATED TO CHAPTER ELEVEN finally !
1. A Pirate's Vow

**_Silk Flags_**

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Disclaimer: I only own my original character, not any of the others or Koei.

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**Chapter One: A Pirate's Vow**

Ancient China was a place of knowledge, mystery, magic, and madness. Families and their dynasties raged in and out of power. In a perpetual state of confusion and belligerence, these leaders ironically strove to bring peace to China. They sought to unite the land under them, disposing of anyone who might believe other wise. Our story takes place during this time, the time of three warring kingdoms, on a pirate ship at sea.

This particular ship was alive with activity. Men were constantly adjusting sails, cleaning the deck, mending gaps, and searching. It was a constant search, be the search for merchant vessels, other pirate ships, navy ships, and personal belongings. In all the motion, one pirate slipped below deck and into his hard-earned cabin.

The pirate pulled his trademark string of bells looser around his waist and kicked off his boots in his quarters. Standing gracefully, he strode to admire himself in the mirror before tightening the bandanna that held his brown hair up away from his intense yet emotionless hazel eyes. "I have too many tattoos…" he remarked, examining his extensively tattooed and tanned torso. "Damn captain, he isn't worth my time." Glancing up at the mirror, he looked away from his reflection. Instead he began tracing his fingers along his tattoos, specifically up his left arm. _It's like I've got a damn storybook on me,_ he thought to himself.

His fingers danced lightly over his skin, following a twisting dragon that ended on his chest. The pirate paused over a bare patch of skin on his breast, directly over his heart. It was large enough for another tattoo, yet none occupied it. He knew what belonged there. The intensity behind the pirate's hazel eyes softened and he touched the bare place. As swiftly as the softness arrived, it left as a knock rang from the door. "Come in!" yelled the pirate, standing gracefully and allowing the intensity and the absence of what he referred to as "womanly emotions" to return. A second pirate entered nearly soundlessly. "Ah, Su Fei! I see you have found me."

Su Fei laughed. "There are only a few places you'll linger while on this ship. I know you too well, Gan Ning." Su Fei shut the door behind him and strode to sit on the edge of the small bed occupying the cramped cabin. Gan Ning pulled a stool and sat facing his friend.

"So what might be the reason for your need to see me?" he asked, smirking confidently. "Is there a battle on the horizon?" Gan Ning glanced over at his beautiful blade, a large dao he affectionately referred to as 'Sea Master'. He felt it was the greatest sword he'd ever owned. Su Fei noticed the look of admiration the pirate gave his sword and laughed.

"There always is. More importantly, food won't be ready for hours and I needed someone who has liquor! Where's your stash?" Su Fei mused, scanning the room with his alert eyes. His face fell when he found no evidence of alcohol.

Gan Ning laughed. "I'm not going to get it when you're here; you'll come back and steal it!" He stood and waved his hands at his friend, motioning for him to leave the cabin. Su Fei groaned and rolled his eyes, effectively leaving the cabin as childlike as possible. Gan Ning grinned and shook his head. After he was sure the door was shut tight, he reached below his cot where Su Fei had just been sitting and pulled out a box filled with bottles of wine. One had already been opened. Seating himself comfortably on his stool, he positioned the box of liquor beside him. "All right, Su Fei, you can come back in and enjoy your wine!" Whipping open the door, the other pirate whooped and jumped back on the bed. Gan Ning tossed him a bottle of wine, already taking a swig from the opened one. The two toasted each other and drank.

A few bottles later, Su Fei and Gan Ning were slurring their speech. Their speech was anything that came to their head. While in this stage of inebriation, Su Fei and Gan Ning began marveling at their past, using their tattoos as reference. Gan Ning leaned closer and squinted at Su Fei's chest. "You have the woooomanman one," Gan Ning remarked, tapping at Su Fei's heart. Su Fei looked down surprised.

"I do! Funny story about that one too," Su Fei grinned. "An' you're gonna hear it."

Gan Ning laughed, "Looks like I'm going to need more wine!"

Su Fei glared at him and took a swig of his third bottle. "You'd say something like that, seeing as you don't have it." Su Fei pointed accusingly at his friend. Gan Ning stared down at the bare patch he had examined only a few hours or so before. He looked away, sadness skipping across his face. Su Fei didn't notice this, already busy remarking, "Ah, so you have not loved a woman! The Great Gan Ning of the Bells has yet to love a woman! You may be the best at poking people with the sharp thingy over there, but that does not deter from the fact that the Pirate with Silken Sails has yet to feel the touch of a woman's love!" Su Fei burst into a raucous, drunken laughter. Gan Ning fumed and finished off his fourth bottle of wine.

Slamming his bottle on the floor of the cabin, Gan Ning growled, "I have no time for women of love." He paused and grinned, "Only concubines!!" Both men laughed boisterously and Su Fei finished his third bottle and set it aside.

"We need to mutiny or something...I can't stand this month-long hiatus of women," Su Fei remarked, belching midway through his sentence. He groaned and massaged his temples, swaying slightly. "Ooh…In the morning, I'm going to be wishing for a month-long absence of hangovers."

Gan Ning patted his friend on the shoulder and laughed. "Ah, you never could hold your liquor, my friend."

Su Fei rolled his eyes. "I forget we all do not have iron livers like you, O Great Gan Ning." Frustrated, Su Fei stood shakily to his feet. "Now would be the perfect time for me to find some of the women we mentioned earlier. I'm gonna tell Huang-y m'boy to look for port! This crew deserves women tonight!" Gan Ning laughed as his friend struggled to walk the five feet to the cabin door. Su Fei glared at back at his pirate comrade and slammed the door. As soon as Su Fei's incoherent mumbling was gone, Gan Ning hid his wine again and slumped on his bed.

_Su Fei...why did you have to remind me of my lonliness? Just when the buzz was finally beginning to kick in..._Gan Ning thought to himself. He knew many men on the crew had wives and children, along with parents or even grandparents, waiting their return. While not all had wives, the others had ladies at home which they would soon return to continue courtship and marry. All the others had some kind of family, people who would mourn them when they died. Gan Ning knew if he was killed, only his blade would miss him.

_Why do I pester myself with these depressing thoughts? No woman __will ever love me...no. No woman will even think I can be loved. My hands have been bloodied and stained too many times to deserve such a luxury as companionship. Solitude...true solitude...this is what I have gained from fighting for so long. Only when I fight can I forget my loneliness, _Gan Ning thought silently. He clenched his fist in resolution. "I will fight, not only to forget my solitude...," he growled, brusquely standing. He strode to his Sea Master. Thrusting it into the air, he finished his vow. "...but to find a way to end it!"

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Thanks for reading! Ha ha some of you may have noticed that I had put up a version before. I was having a little trouble editing it and the disclaimer was all drawn out to the point that it was painful. This was the shiny new version hooray! Thanks again and review if you've got the time :) 


	2. Narrow Escape

**Silk Flags**

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This one's extra long because I'm leaving for about a week and a half. Enjoy! Oh, and I don't own Koei or anything Koei owns.

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**Chapter Two: ****Narrow Escapes**

Recap:

_Why do I pester myself with these depressing thoughts? No woman will ever love me...no. No woman will even think I can be loved. My hands have been bloodied and stained too many times to deserve such a luxury as companionship. Solitude...true solitude...this is what I have gained from fighting for so long. Only when I fight can I forget my loneliness, _Gan Ning thought silently. He clenched his fist in resolution. "I will fight, not only to forget my solitude...," he growled, brusquely standing. He strode to his Sea Master. Thrusting it into the air, he finished his vow. "...but to find a way to end it!"

That evening, the captain, Huang Zu, made port and the men enjoyed their night in town. Some men took the time to write to their loved ones, others wasted no time in finding women and staying with them for the night. The seaport's inn soon was overrun with the pirates and the concubines they had accompany them. Gan Ning, however, had resisted the hordes of women. Instead, he decided to relax and so rented a fine room at the inn. He demanded the innkeeper fit his bed with silk sheets and decorate the room in fine silk, all paid for by the inn. Gan Ning was given what he required, seeing as he held the innkeeper at sword-point in order to get what he wanted.

Routinely waking before dawn, Gan Ning rose and stretched. He quickly got dressed into his day clothes. Then he carefully tied his bandana around his wild and spiky brown hair, strung his seven bells around his waist, and pulled on his boots. Soon after, he turned and neatly folded the silken sheets, placing them at the end of the bed. Once finished with his careful chore, the pirate took his sword in one hand. He looked around the room, eyeing the silks. Jumping in the air, he landed with a soft jingle on one foot at the other end of the small room. Taking his sword in one hand, he sliced diagonally through the silk that hung from the ceiling in the instant it took him to land and immediately jump. He carefully made sure not to sever the sheet in half, but sliced it so as to dissuade using the silk another time. Gan Ning continued slicing across the room, propelling himself with his instantaneous but remarkably soft lands and jumps. It was a strange sight to be held. The pirate, with all grace and precision, was destroying the silks he had violently and vehemently demanded be installed in the bedchamber. The spectacle was nearly dumbfounding. However, Gan Ning's expression was that of the utmost focus and concentration as he jumped and spun around the room. It seemed the pirate would tease the floor by feigning a landing before spiraling and slashing in an upwards ascent. Continuing for twenty minutes, the pirate made sure every last piece of hanging silk had been marked.

His task complete, he softly landed his final jump near the foot of his bed. By this point, he was breathing only slightly harder than normal. Silently collecting his things, Gan Ning left the inn. However, he made sure to leave the silk bed sheets at the end of the bed folded and untouched by his blade.

Striding confidently outside, he admired the sunrise as it peeked above the horizon and reflected on the calm ocean. Gan Ning approached the beach, finding it deserted and exactly to his liking. After setting what he had collected from the inn down on the sand, the pirate wielded his sword broadly in his right hand before holding it in front of his face and parallel to his body. Swiftly, he brought up his left hand and gripped the sword and part of his right hand. With paramount focus, he tensed all the muscles in his body that he could and slowly bent to bow at the sun, making sure his sword remained motionless in its position. With the same methodical and deliberate speed that he bent, Gan Ning stood straight and faced the sun. His face was as unmoving and intensely determined.

"Hyah!" shouted Gan Ning. With this shout, he lunged out with his sword and began his early morning conditioning. Slicing viciously through the air, Gan Ning lost himself in a multitude of invisible enemies, all of which were perpetually crashing down upon him. He stabbed, kicked, sliced, punched, blocked, and parried, with each motion swift yet exaggerated. When a step or a blow was to his displeasure, he worked to perfect it through repetitious practice until it was at the consistency he desired.

Upon completion of this exercise, the pirate was breathing heavily. His face and ears were tinged rosy and the sun was slightly above the horizon. He grinned, pleased that months of training allowed him to refrain from perspiring so early in his set. Gan Ning bowed has he had done so before his invisible melee and placed Sea Master on top of his pile of items. Spying a nearby tree, Gan Ning strode over and searched for a specific type of branch. When stretching his arms above his head, he found one just in his reach. He gripped it and exhaled before beginning the second part of his training.

Grunting, the pirate pulled himself up, high enough that his chin was above the branch. "One," he panted before brining his knees up to touch the branch as well. "Two." He lowered his knees. "Three." Gan Ning lowered himself down while still holding onto the branch. He repeated this until sweat gleamed prominently on his tanned skin, his breaths coming short and fast.

Satisfied with his performance on his muscular workout, he left the tree to stand by his dao. He picked it up and gazed calmly out to sea, inwardly disappointed that he couldn't finish the last part of his workout with an hour-long run or swim. By now the town had begun motion and activity, no longer was Gan Ning alone with the ocean he adored. Hearing footsteps behind him, he tore his eyes away from the ever-moving water to greet whoever came to accompany him. He grinned. "Su Fei! You're up early! I was sure you'd be sleeping until noon with all the wine and women you had at your disposal last night."

Su Fei laughed. "Last night was definitely worth this morning...and you? I saw the group of gorgeous women hovering about you last night. Innkeeper said you slept alone, though. How much did you pay him to keep his mouth quiet about how may women you had your way with yesterday?" asked Su Fei, sliding over to stand next to his friend, who returned to watching the water.

Gan Ning paused before replying, "I didn't pay him to keep quiet." Su Fei shot his friend a confused look. "I truly slept alone last night." Gan Ning's face remained emotionless.

Su Fei was so shocked he could not speak. Attempting several times to form a complete sentence, Su Fei managed to say, "The most beautiful concubines in the entire port were flirting with you yesterday and you slept _alone_?! This is the first land we've been able to sleep on in a month! How could you refuse?"

Gan Ning retorted, "Like this: 'No'. You should try it sometime, Fei. It's not that hard to do."

Su Fei resisted his urge to slap his friend over the head. Instead, he seethed silently at his friend's cynicism. "You know how annoying you are when you get sarcastic? It's enough to drive me insane!"

"I can't drive you insane, Fei. You're already insane," countered Gan Ning, smirking. Su Fei let loose a long slur of colorful language, along with references to where exactly Gan Ning can put his sarcastic remarks so early in the morning. "There's that pleasant aftermath of the wine and women."

Su Fei laid on the ground and looked up to the sky. "Ugh...no it's just you being a smartass again." Gan Ning laughed. "You know what you are as of now, Ning? You're too loud. Tell the world to shut up and turn down the lights for me, would ya?" Su Fei closed his eyes and rolled over, covering his ears. Gan Ning chuckled and sat down next to the pirate, who didn't look like much of a dangerous warrior at the moment. "Shouldn't've had those last two bottles...," mumbled Su Fei. Gan Ning avoided laughing; knowing exactly how much pain his friend was in.

Gan Ning remarked, "If it's that bad, we need to get you some help immediately. I was thinking fruit and vegetable juice in large quantities. And of course, no wine or women for weeks..."

"It's not _that_ bad," Su Fei cut in. "Well...I might need some of that juice you're talking about...but I refuse to refuse women, unlike some men I know."

"Last time I checked, I'm only one man," Gan Ning replied, standing and helping his friend to his feet. Su Fei rolled his eyes. Gan Ning patted him on the back and collected his things. "Let's go find you some help."

Once Su Fei's hangover had been eased, Gan Ning dropped his bedclothes off on the ship. The two men strolled along the sea near the town until noon, when they were due back at the fleet. Making their way back, Gan Ning asked, "I like this port. What's it called?"

"Ba Ling," replied Su Fei. "The city and the surrounding farms make up a small province. Supposedly, the prefect's family lives around here. Rumor has it his daughter's beauty rivals either of the two Qiaos! How lucky could a guy get? I'd love to be appointed prefect of a port like this."

Gan Ning replied, "I'd never want to be tied down and restricted from sailing. But for this place and that kind of woman? Maybe I'd consider it." The two men looked at each other before bursting out laughing.

"As if pirates like us could ever hold government office!" the two exclaimed. Their words and laughter attracted the attention of some of the city's soldiers. A group of about twenty men began advancing stealthily on them, weapons in hand. Gan Ning looked up from his laughter and noticed them less than 10 feet away. "Su Fei...," Gan Ning whispered in a warning tone. "Get back to the ships. You're one of Zu's best. He can't afford to lose your mind to kids like the ones behind you." His friend nodded hesitantly and broke for the flagship, enticing the soldiers to charge.

"I've been itchin' for a fight!!" shouted Gan Ning, gleefully. He charged the soldiers as well, swinging his dao from in front of him to his side. Skidding to a halt, he crashed to the center of the group, slashing at them. He slew them all, then turned and raced for the ships. However, the commotion alerted soldiers in the area. They gave chase to the fleeing pirate, and yelled for their comrades to join them along their pursuit. Gan Ning looked over his shoulder and swore. He stopped running and turned on a dime, facing the mass of soldiers that were charging at him.

"All right! Who wants to die first?" called Gan Ning. The soldiers stopped and noticed the jingling they'd heard during the run came from his waist. Gan Ning followed their confused gaze to his waist. He laughed and jumped up and down, causing the bells to ring.

One soldier's eyes widened as he cried, "It's Gan Ning of the Bells!" and promptly fainted. Gan Ning put a hand on his hip and tapped his foot in wait, causing the bells to jingle loud enough for the soldiers to hear. He grinned and fiddled with the reflected sunlight off his dao, temporarily blinding the majority of the soldiers. Aware of the time constraints, Gan Ning maintained the reflection at their eyes while he smoothly backed away until he felt safe enough to turn and break for the ships.

Laughing jovially, he was able to safely make it back to the docks. He had single-handedly fought of twenty soldiers and saved his friend as well as his own skin. He strode toward where the ships' rowboats were docked, only to find the rowboats all missing. Looking up, he noticed the fleet moving away from the harbor. Gan Ning gazed at the way the ships lurched back and forth, attempting a speedy getaway. The wind, on the other hand, was not in their favor. He swore and searched for something to get their attention or get him to the ships.

Deciding on a course of action, Gan Ning jumped into a fishing boat and sliced the rope tying it to the dock. He threw everything back on the dock that he could before unfurling the sail and tossing the rest overboard, saving a thick, flat piece of driftwood to use as a paddle. Furiously, the pirate moved more water than he ever dreamed he could, slowly but surely closing the distance between the fleet and his commandeered meager vessel. Once he felt close enough, he stood and made sure his Sea Master caught the sunlight. Carefully aiming it, he managed to grab the attention of a group of three lounging pirates.

"Who approaches?!" one shouted.

"Gan Ning of the Bells!" Gan Ning yelled back. The panicked commotion he witnessed on the deck was evidence enough for him to realize the crew had no idea he was not on board. He knew of only one person who would attempt to leave him behind.

Once Gan Ning was on the pirate war-junk again, he demanded audience with Huang Zu (**AN: junk as in a type of ship, aka the flat-bottomed boats you see in the DW cutscenes**). He was declined. Instead of waiting to confront him at dinner, Gan Ning pushed himself past the guards and into the captain's cabin where Huang Zu poured over a map of China. "Go away, whoever you are," announced Huang Zu, not bothering to look up at his guest.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" spat Gan Ning. Huang Zu whipped around and faced his officer.

"Gan Ning! What are you doing in my quarters? You are not to enter without my approval or request, you know this," demanded Zu. "You will be punished for your insolence to me."

"_My_ insolence?!" roared Ning. "Was it not I that fought the soldiers and allowed for your hasty escape? Have I not won countless battles in your name? Did I not enhance Lord Liu Biao's respect for you? I hardly think my loyalty toward you earns a desertion at a sea port!"

Zu scoffed, "Loyalty? Ruffian scum like you claims to know loyalty? Ha! I'm surprised you even know the meaning of such a word!" Huang Zu turned back to his map and continued plotting a course. "I am busy. Leave now and stop destroying the serenity of my quarters with your sweat." Gan Ning glared angrily at his captain before turning and slamming the door behind him.

Marching to the central mast of the ship, he climbed the rigging up to the crow's nest and kicked out the sailor. Before the frightened young man scurried down, he told Gan Ning to look for a delta. Climbing out onto the yard (**AN: the log above the sail**), Gan Ning sighed and forgot his troubles as he watched the ever-moving, ever-changing sea.

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I know there hasn't been much romance yet, but it's coming up I promise! Thank you to those who take time to rate :) 


	3. Women and War

**_Silk Flags_**

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DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, except for my original character.

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**Chapter Three: ****Women and War**

Recap:

Marching to the central mast of the ship[Gan Ning climbed the rigging up to the crow's nest and kicked out the sailor. Before the frightened young man scurried down, he told Gan Ning to look for a delta. Climbing out onto the yard (**AN: the log above the sail**), Gan Ning sighed and forgot his troubles as he watched the ever-moving, ever-changing sea.

During dinner that evening, Huang Zu formally announced preparation for battle. Liu Biao had sent spies to Wu, who discovered that Wu was preparing to attack Huang Zu as a way to avenge the death of the late Sun Jian. Wu's forces were due in two weeks at Xiakou. Huang Zu stationed his main fleet at the mouth of the river. He periodically sent scouts to Xiakou to mark out the battleground for the strategists. Gan Ning gleefully awaited the battle; Su Fei had been slipping him bits of information about it from Huang Zu's meetings. Five days before the skirmish, Huang Zu sent a group of his generals to make camp and await his arrival on the third day. Gan Ning and Su Fei were sent with the group.

Hastily setting up camp for the soldiers, the five days were passed with training and review of the strategy. When Huang Zu arrived, he formally announced the positions of the major generals who played a key role to the strategy and bid good rest to his soldiers. He restricted training sessions from being overly physically exhausting and removed wine from availability. Gan Ning and Su Fei grumbled at this, but managed to steal a bottle each the night before battle. Slipping away from the main camp before dusk, they headed for Gan Ning's light ship and toasted each other at the bow. Leaning against the wooden rails, they began talking. Su Fei observed the moon rising and remarked, "I do not envy the sun. To chase such a moody and beautiful moon is an impossible task. How could such raw sunlight compare to the pale delicacy of moonlight?" Gan Ning pushed lonesome thoughts out of his head with a swig of wine.

"Only one bottle and you consider yourself a poet? You must have thieved these from Zu's personal stash," retorted Ning, attempting to change the subject.

Su Fei only grinned and drank. "I've been meaning to bring this up with you for a while now, but the timing has never been correct. Until tonight. An old friend of mine works as a lieutenant in Wu. He told me of their need for talent on the battlefield many months ago."

Gan Ning looked at his friend, his alcohol-induced giddiness gone. "You're defecting to Wu?" His friend laughed.

"Me? No! I take my sword out there and just wave it in front of me whenever the enemy gets up to Huang Zu and me," Fei paused as he took a sip. "You, on the other hand, know you don't deserve to be so ignored. Everyone knows you've earned my position a thousand times more than I have." Gan Ning remained silent. Usually, he would boost his self-image at every opportunity possible; however, his friend's kind words humbled him for the moment. "My friend is going to be fighting us tomorrow. His name is Lü Meng, styled Ziming. If you take this chance and serve Wu, you will grow stronger and rise to higher ranks in their army. Then again, you could continue to loyally serve Huang Zu and hope for the promotion that will probably never come. The choice is yours."

Gan Ning looked away from his friend and stared out at the river. His face contorted in deep thought. His reflection soon was alone as his friend took leave. The river was quiet, the current soft. With a splash, Gan Ning allowed his nearly-full bottle of wine to drop into the river. Looking to the moon, he pondered his future. He sighed, his breath faintly visible, before briskly turning away and following the river into a forest.

Lost in his thoughts, he slowly wandered deeper into the forest and away from the river. Upon reaching a clearing, he heard someone walking through bushes on the far side. He reached to his waist where his dao would be, but cursed silently when he remembered he left it in his tent. He was about to call out when a woman entered on the other end of the clearing he was in. Gan Ning inhaled sharply when he saw her.

She was remarkable. Her hair was cropped short and close to her delicate face, kept in place by a headband. Her pale skin accented her round, innocent emerald green eyes and plump, ruby red lips. She was short, and her body was obviously trained for athletics instead of childbearing. Through her red-tinged hair, her ornate earrings rustled and temporarily caught the moonlight. She wore a red and black Chinese-styled tank top that revealed a fairly small amount of cleavage. She wore red and black matching armguards. A pair of simliarly styled low-rise "capri" pants and ankle boots finished her outfit. The fine quality of her apparel was proof enough that she must come from a family involved in the government. She gasped slightly at his presence as well.

Gan Ning averted his eyes after realizing he was staring at her. When she spoke, he could hear a fire burning in her voice, "Who are you and what is your business here?"

Looking up at her, he bowed awkwardly and attempted formalities. "I am of no consequence, my lady, and my business is of the same nature. The question is why do you roam this late without escort?" Even as he spoke, he couldn't figure out why he didn't immediately announce himself and his various aliases. _What's wrong with me tonight?_ he questioned himself, taking into consideration his strange conversation with Su Fei.

The woman seemed taken aback. "You don't know who I am?" she asked curiously. Gan Ning shrugged, shaking his head. The woman grinned. "Excellent." She strode toward him, obviously unafraid. He met her at the middle of the clearing. She bowed and introduced herself, "Call me Shang Xiang. And your name?"

He returned the bow. "Gan Ning," he replied. He immediately liked the way she acted and held herself; it was as if she was torn between being a traditional Chinese woman and masquerading as a man. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." They straightened and merely examined each other, as if the other was an animal they had never imagined existed.

Slowly, curiously, she reached and tapped a bell with a slender, pale finger. It jingled softly and comfortably into silence. "They're pretty," she remarked, admiring them. Gan Ning could feel his face warming slightly.

"They're all I have left from my hometown. It's just habit that I wear them now," he responded, his voice almost a gruff whisper. Hazel eyes met emerald ones as she looked empathetically at him. For the second time in a month, the pirate's expression softened as he revealed a portion of his well-guarded self. Taking a chance, he asked, "Would you like to speak more by the river?"

"Yes," she replied, turning toward the direction of the river. "Wanna race?" She looked over her shoulder and grinned, her apparent love of competition translated through her expression. Gan Ning smirked, amazed. "Ready...go!" They were off in a flash.

As he sprinted through the lush forest, he couldn't believe Shang Xiang was running next to him. He jumped over a log and picked up speed on the other side. She followed suit. Her laughter at his amazement rang with his bells, which were jingling with the rhythmic motion of his legs. She smiled brilliantly at him, and he at her. Although he knew he had the capacity to press forward in his speed, he felt comfortable running alongside with someone who could match him. Upon reaching the river, she was breathing heavily. He laughed. "Too fast for you, my lady?"

She looked up at him. "Not at all," she wheezed, grinning. Spotting a fallen tree nearby, she jogged lightly to it and climbed into the branches that sprawled over the water. Gan Ning noticed how her pale skin glowed ethereally in the bright moonlight. Sitting in the fallen tree, she held the appearance of a foreign goddess than anything else. "Look, you can see the fish from here," she called to him, acting as if they were childhood friends. He took the invitation and climbed up next to her. In the water, two fish were swimming casually against the current, their scales glittering in the light. _What a pity...this river will be red with blood come tomorrow,_ thought Gan Ning to himself. She looked at him, her face overcome with a wistful expression. "You remind me of someone I knew once."

"I do?" he asked. She nodded. "Oh." Instead of continuing conversation, they fell into a comfortable silence and just watched the river life. Gan Ning couldn't help but feel as though time had stopped, but the moon soon hung high in the sky. "I beg your pardon, my lady, but I must take my leave. It has been a pleasure meeting you. Luck be with you," he jumped out of the tree and landed with a ring, bowing. "Goodbye, Lady Shang."

She climbed back to the trunk of the tree. "Farewell, Master Gan." They bowed to each other and she jumped to the other side of the tree. Both turned and left in opposite directions, certain that the bizarre and unconventional meeting would be their last.

Back at camp, Gan Ning tossed in his cot. He couldn't sleep with questions racing about his head. Should he defect to Wu? Was that woman real? Would Huang Zu ever recognize his accomplishments? What was that woman's allegiance? Exhausted, he cleared his head completely and only focused on sleep. It came soon enough, bringing with it dreams of the woman and tomorrow's imminent battle.

That morning, he awoke later than usual, disappointed he had no time for his usual dawn routine. Instead he quickly ate breakfast with his men and received an oral reminder of his duties for the upcoming battle. Dao at his side, he nodded. Anticipation coursed through his body as he strode confidently out to his vessel, purposefully avoiding Su Fei. His mind was made up, yet he felt his friend would be disappointed in his decision. Standing near the main mast, he waited for his crew to make their way on board. Once they all were finally aboard, he relayed the instructions to them. He rallied them and raised their morale before setting off. At the captain's wheel, he steered the light ship expertly and swiftly made his way up the current. It was time for war.

The ship sailed to an island not far from the main camp. Anchoring offshore, several of the dinghies carried men to the island. Gan Ning reminded the soldiers of their instructions before leaving the dinghies with the men and sailing his light ship back to the main camp.

Upon returning nearer to the main camp, Gan Ning and the remainder of his crew found fighting to already have broken out. Soldiers had begun fighting on land and in the shallow areas of water. Anchoring his ship a safe enough distance from the fighting, he made sure the majority of the men were able to return to land before leaving some of the men to take care of his ship. On the last run to shore, he pulled the little boat onto the beach before racing off to join the fight.

With a yell he leaped into the frenzy, bells jingling excitedly. He slashed his way across the man-made sandbar that stretched the width of the river. A trail of bodies bleeding into the once clear river marked his path. Upon reaching the other side, Gan Ning slaughtered a small platoon of soldiers in seconds. Searching for his next targets, he spotted a peculiar sight of the woman from last night fighting in the distance, but the spectacle vanished as soon as it had come. A squadron of soldiers began charging him and the few troops that had battled their way across the river. He ran and met them with a bloody welcome, slicing at their necks. This group was better trained than the others. Gan Ning and his growing company of soldiers still were able to cut them all down. Taking the opportunity to storm their ranks, Ning left the security of the group and ran off on his own.

Reveling in the soldiers that crashed upon him, he began fighting as he trained: alone. Gracefully slicing the soldiers' torso's that were unfortunate enough to charge him head-on, he spun around kicked the soldiers away. Another horde attacked him from his left; consequently, he swung Sea Master around him and began to cut at the soldiers vertically. He did this faster than one could think possible by forcefully using his wrists in the motion. Grinning, he noticed an eminent figure on horseback. He had an armed flagbearer next to him presenting all literate men with his identity. Gan Ning recognized the name and rushed the man, leaving the soldiers falling like dominoes behind him.

"Get off your horse and come get a piece of me!" shouted Ning, challenging the man. The man looked at him and dismounted with his glaive in hand. "I am Gan Ning of the Bells!"

"You have the honor of facing me, Lü Meng, in combat! Death comes to the man who underestimates my abilities!" Lü Meng cried. They charged each other. Slicing at the man's side, Lü Meng blocked Gan Ning's blow and pushed back his blade. Gan Ning leaped to the left and swung to attack again. Meng again blocked, this time pushing the dao with such force that Ning was pushed back.

Jumping up, Gan Ning bore down blade-first on Lü Meng. Too slow to block the attack, the officer shot backwards. He began jabbing the metal-tipped back end of his weapon at the officer. Gan Ning parried the majority of the blows, some of them hit his arms. Ignoring the pain, Ning immediately retaliated. He began hacking at Lü Meng, searching for an opening. Each swing was more forceful and swifter than it predecessor until Meng could hardly deflect them. Ning's blade sliced into his arms and bits of his torso. The ferocity in the man's face was frightening beyond belief.

Before Gan Ning landed another blow, Lü Meng swung his glaive helplessly around him, warding off the pirate temporarily. However, Ning jumped into the air once more and sliced at the back of Lü Meng's neck. Meng blocked his attack in a deadlock as he caught the other end of his glaive with his other hand, the long handle parallel with his shoulders. Both of the men were panting heavily. Lü Meng was sweating exorbitantly in the heat, stuffy armor, and physical activity. Gan Ning's near sleepless night was beginning to take a toll. Yet neither man gave up attempting to win the deadlock. Gan Ning angled Sea Master just enough so that the blade began to cut Meng's shoulder.

Gasping in pain, the officer pushed Ning off and away from him with all his might. Retreating back to his steed, he called, "Wu has a place for fine warriors such as you, Gan Ning. When you tire of serving Liu Biao's lapdog, know that your skill would find proper appreciation here." With those words, Lü Meng turned and fully retreated from view.

Gan Ning immediately began to chase after more Wu infantry when he heard the call to retreat. Groaning in disappointment, he immediately turned on a heel and bolted in the direction of the river. Pleased to find that the men from the island had returned to the ship, he helped transport the rest of the men men back to the ship from the mainland as other infantrymen began destroying the temporary sandbar. The destruction took as much time as the ferrying and soon Gan Ning was able to sail back to the main camp, directly following Huang Zu's ship. He was about to hear of the success of his island troops when a soldier sounded the alert of pursuit.

Whipping around on deck, Gan Ning spotted a Wu general closing the distance between them in another light ship. The man was fitting an arrow into his bow and taking careful aim at a petrified Huang Zu. Without missing a beat, Gan Ning took out his own bow and arrow and shot the man in the face. He fell with a deep splash into the water. Wu boats recovered the body but did not continue pursuit. In the distance, Ning could hear a cry of grief as he sailed back to the main camp.

That evening, Gan Ning relayed the success of his troops to Huang Zu. Huang Zu ignored him and glorified Su Fei instead. Su Fei laughed and denied Zu's claims, attempting to give Gan Ning proper credit. "Criminals like Gan Ning are not capable of valor and loyalty. They are narcissistic and crude, caring only for their own fame." Irate, Gan Ning spat at Huang Zu and left the main camp, taking his belongings. Before mounting his horse, Gan Ning quickly wrote a short apology to Su Fei and set it on his cot. It read:

_Su Fei,_

_I'm sorry I didn't take your advice earlier. I fought Lü Meng today in battle and he too urged me to join Wu. You were right, my friend. Huang Zu will never acknowledge my accomplishments for him. I can only hope we can remain friends, even though we will be fighting for different lords now._

_-Gan Ning_

He rode away from Huang Zu's camp without pausing to look back.

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I'm back and I made this chapter extra long to make up for my absence! Sorry to those who were waiting:( This was my first attempt at a duel-type fight so hopefully it's not too bad. Thank you to those who have time to review :) 


	4. Admittance Part 1

**_Silk Flags_**

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DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, except for my original character.

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**Chapter Four:**** Admittance Part I**

Recap:

Before mounting his horse, Gan Ning quickly wrote a short apology to Su Fei and set it on his cot. It read:

_Su Fei,_

_I'm sorry I didn't take your advice earlier. I fought Lü Meng today in battle and he too urged me to join Wu. You were right, my friend. Huang Zu will never acknowledge my accomplishments for him. I can only hope we can remain friends, even though we will be fighting for different lords now._

_-Gan Ning_

He rode away from Huang Zu's camp without pausing to look back.

The horse trotted to the fallen tree where he sat with the woman the night before. The moon, however, hid behind storm clouds on this night. Worried for his horse, he gently nudged it forward. The gelding whinnied and backed away from the tree. Gan Ning sighed and rubbed the horse's neck. He turned to gallop around the tree when he felt a drop of rain on his cheek. Looking up, he saw lightning flash across the sky. He laughed bitterly, "A perfect ending to a perfect evening." Gan Ning changed his mind and instead raced into the forest.

Coming across the same clearing he happened upon last night, Ning roped his horse near the edge, allowing it shelter as well as grazing area. He cast his gaze to the heavens as the sky ripped apart. Cold pellets of rain pounded the new ex-pirate's skin. Gan Ning ran to the center of the clearing and yelled in frustration, clenching his fists. "Come, bring the winds! The rains! The hail! Punish me for my betrayal of Zu, that son of a bitch!" raged Gan Ning, challenging the sky. "My freedom is worth whatever you bring upon me!" Thunder rumbled menacingly as lighting split the sky. His horse snorted and pawed the ground nervously. While his master was soaking wet, the thick foliage proved sufficient protection against the storm raging overhead to keep the horse dry. Gan Ning screamed one final time in frustration before launching into a display of his martial arts skills, venting his hidden anger through his impromptu midnight training session.

By the time he finished, his saturated hair wilted over his headband and his breaths came heavy. Sweat and rain mixed on his warm skin and weighed down his clothes. He looked up one last time before returning to his horse, which was looking curiously at him. Gan Ning unpacked a thick wool blanket and threw it over the horse's back. Cursing himself for not making a fire before unleashing his rage towards Huang Zu, he struggled to find dry twigs. His labor paid off; he soon was warmed a bit by small flames as he sat cross-legged. By then, the storm had passed and he gazed at the clearing from behind the fire. The moon was dulled behind lingering clouds, but the plants twinkled with rain. His horse had long settled down and fallen asleep. Gan Ning sighed and stayed awake, fearing an ambush from Wu or Huang Zu...he had allegiance to no one at the moment.

This thought sparked another. _What if Wu won't allow me to join them?_ Gan Ning cringed inwardly as he remembered his first attempt at joining Liu Biao. His words still pierced his pride…_"Have we stooped so low as to attract criminals to our army?"_ The feelings of shame and resentment washed over him momentarily before he closed his eyes and concentrated on being devoid of emotion. He would accomplish nothing if he just sat around dwelling in his past.

His eyes flashed open and he tensed. He could have sworn he heard something move. Standing as quietly as possible, he managed to keep his bells from ringing when he lost his balance and they broke the eerie silence of the night. Jumping over the small fire for his Sea Master, he landed rolling and picked it up as he ended crouching. Holding his blade before him, he ignored the reflection of the flames dancing along its razor edge. Focusing into the blackness beyond the light, Gan Ning turned in a circle, watching, waiting. Seconds turned to minutes and he began to wonder if his mind was playing tricks on him.

Gan Ning whirled around, hearing rustling behind him. Straining his ears, he tried to hear what was beyond the light of the fire. Tired of waiting, he grabbed a stick and lit the end in the fire. Bringing his sword closer to him, he held out his makeshift torch. To his surprise, the light revealed his hidden assailant: a squirrel. Gan Ning sighed, relaxing against the tree near his horse. Was he so on edge that a squirrel's nighttime rustling spurred him into armed panic? _I seriously need to relax,_ he thought to himself. He thought immediately of the woman he met the night before. Too tired to block off that strange memory, the ex-pirate smiled faintly. Staring off into the night sky, all he could think about was her and absent-mindedly tapped one of the bells strung on his waist. He could not recall falling asleep in the morning.

It was still dark when he awoke, and his skin was moistened with morning dew. His horse had already begun grazing and the fire had been reduced to a pile of smoldering wood shards and ash. He stood and ground the last of the embers into dust. Glancing over at his horse, he picked up the abandoned blanket and packed it away before beginning his early morning conditioning, save for the run. Gan Ning then untied his horse and led it across the clearing. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before entering the other side of the clearing, breaking into a brisk jog. For a moment, he almost expected the woman to be waiting for him.

Shaking his head and chuckling, he replaced those thoughts with how he would persuade Wu to accept him into their army. Gan Ning knew the routine; he had done it twice before. First, they would refuse him because of his reckless background. Then they'd bait him with a consideration before sending him away, claiming a deficiency in his swordplay. Upon this accusation, Gan Ning would defend his pride by showcasing his talents. Before finally being accepted, he usually would be blamed of threatening the lord in question with his display. He kicked a rock out of his way, bored and frustrated with this system of consent and denial.

Around noon, Gan Ning found himself out of the forest. He saw thin trails of smoke rising in the distance. Finally mounting his horse, he dug his heels into its flanks. It galloped forward, snorting and neighing in protest of its sudden cargo. Riding for about an hour or so, he grinned when he saw red flags. The character for "Wu" was obscured as they hung limply against the flagpoles. He found that the closer he came to the camp, the faster his heart pounded. Reigning in his gelding as the edge of the camp came within a few hundred yards, he noticed another rider galloping in from the west. The man looked up and changed direction. Gan Ning stopped and waited for the rider to meet up with him.

"Gan Ning!" the man called out. The rider pulled up to a stop before him. Gan Ning smiled and nodded at the man. He nodded back.

"It is good to see you are well, Lü Meng," Gan Ning replied. Lü Meng turned his horse toward the Wu camp.

"Shall we?" he asked, smiling. Gan Ning nodded and the two men began trotting to the sprawl of tents. "Instead of heading to camp, we could go straight to the capital. It's only half a day's gallop and we'll avoid...certain people...for now. It'd be smoother." Gan Ning shrugged and began following Lü Meng, who turned back to where he had galloped from.

They rode in silence for the majority of the length. "I regret to say I know only very little about you, Gan Ning. I was hoping you could fill in some blank spots," Lü Meng informed him. He looked over at his former enemy. Gan Ning avoided his glance.

"I was born in Lin Jiang. My parents made sure I learned calligraphy, but I never took much interest as a young boy. After having spent a few years as a pirate, my last raid brought to my attention that I needed to find a worthy cause to attribute myself to. Liu Biao had always struck me as a man good enough to follow, but he didn't want a pirate. So I tried joining Huang Zu, who only took me on account of our mutual friend. Then Zu entered the service of Liu Biao, because Zu's a power-hungry bastard. And here I am," recounted Gan Ning and hoped he wasn't too detailed. He didn't want to bore or disgust his new acquaintance. Lü Meng laughed.

"A man of little words then? Well, it will be enough to please our lord," replied Lü Meng.

"Our lord?" asked Gan Ning, "By this, you mean Sun Quan?" Lü Meng nodded with a confused expression on his face. "Sun Quan has not even met me. How can you be so sure he will receive me?"

"I have already told you, and I know Su Fei probably has as well," answered Meng almost immediately, "We need more men like you. You fight well, you're loyal to your lord, and you know how to use your men. Your island trick did quite a number to our troops."

Gan Ning grinned. "Yeah, I heard. Huang Zu hated the idea before he found out how well it worked. Said it was too risky. How do you win without taking a couple risks, you know?" Lü Meng looked at Gan Ning and shook his head, grinning. "What?"

"You just proved to yourself why we need you," Lü Meng commented, chuckling. Gan Ning shrugged. They continued conversation until their arrival to the palace, well in to the afternoon. Meng led him to a spot near a private entrance. "Just wait here while I announce you. I'll come get you when the time is right." Gan Ning nodded and dismounted with his new comrade. He watched the man's thick black hair disappear into the palace.

Admiring the palace, Gan Ning whistled. It was so elaborately decorated. He wondered if there was anything adorning the walls inside, or were the walls the décor? He grinned as he saw the wide river on the far side of the palace, behind a section that appeared older and less used than the rest. Once he got his ship back, he'd ask Sun Quan if he could keep it there.

_I'll probably be told to live out there. Nobody wants a pirate amongst nobility_, thought Gan Ning to himself. He imagined his custom sails billowing gently, curving with the tufts of clouds that floated lazily through the sky.

"Allright! Come with me, Gan Ning!" called Lü Meng from the stairs. Gan Ning nodded and reluctantly allowed the servants to take his horse from him to a grazing pasture. Gan Ning jogged up the steps to his friend, feeling apprehension simmer quietly in the pit of his stomach. Lü Meng grinned encouragingly at him, leading him through tall, wide hallways with corridors that veered off in seemingly purposeless directions. Gan Ning noticed they were not headed toward the older part of the palace, but the newer addition. They reached the end of their journey at a vast doorway veiled by hanging silks and reed curtains. "There's no need to worry, you'll make a good first impression on Lord Quan," Lü Meng encouraged him. "I can't go in with you. Good luck!"

Gan Ning nodded and strode through the doorway. On the other side was an enormous room, stretching as farther back than it was tall. There was a huge rug on the floor, stretching to a platform with a throne at the center. On either side were pots of overgrown shrubbery, complimenting the reds and golds in the room. Scrolls and portraits of prominent-looking men ornamented the walls. Servants, guards, and various advisors were in small line groups along the walls, some clustered on the platform on either side of the potted plants. However, sitting on the throne was a man Gan Ning knew he should never cross, not if he wanted to keep his head.

It was Sun Quan, Emperor of the Southlands.

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This is the first part of what was going to be a massive chapter! However, I would feel guilty if I didn't update before I leave tomorrow. Thanks to those who review:) 


	5. Admittance Part 2

**Silk Flags**

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DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters except for my original character. (which isn't in this chapter anyway)

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**Chapter Four: Admittance Part II**

Recap:

Servants, guards, and various advisors were in small line groups along the walls, some clustered on the platform on either side of the potted plants. However, sitting on the throne was a man Gan Ning knew he should never cross, not if he wanted to keep his head.

It was Sun Quan, Emperor of the Southlands.

Gan Ning stepped forward and prostrated himself immediately. After a long moment, he heard a sonorous, rough voice address him, "Rise and come forward to me." He liked the voice of Sun Quan at once. It seemed so familiar to him, projecting confidence with an undertone of uncertainty. Where had he heard it before...?

Realizing his thoughts were delaying him, Gan Ning stood and strode quietly forward, head bowed in respect. When he was only a few steps away from the raised platform, he prostrated himself before Sun Quan again. "You may stand now." Sun Quan paused as Gan Ning stood. "I have heard many things about you, Gan Ning. Lü Meng appears to think quite highly of you." Ning simply nodded, knowing not to speak unless asked a question. "You beat him in a duel, did you not?"

"I did, my lord," replied Gan Ning quietly. "He was a worthy opponent." Sun Quan laughed.

"A worthy opponent? You sent him home with his tail between his legs!" exclaimed Sun Quan. "Your skill amazes me. No, look at me." Gan Ning slowly raised his gaze.

Sun Quan sat on the edge of his seat, dressed in emerald and golden ceremonial robes. Wrapped around his waist was tiger skin, trailing down to his knees. Foreign white fur adorned the collar, contrasting the darker colors. Atop his head was a small cylindrical hat, with a flat top that extended farther forward and backward than his head did. Leather armguards protected his forearms, and thin chest armor peeked out from beneath the fur. This man clearly took no chances to ensure his safety.

The Emperor was about his age, perhaps a few years older. This surprised the pirate, who had assumed all emperors were old and weathered. What surprised Gan Ning the most; however, were the young Emperor's facial features. His eyebrows were thick and came close to each other over his brow and his short beard traced his jaw line. However, the resemblance between the young emperor and the woman in the forest unsettled Gan Ning. Sun Quan's hair and eyes were closer brown than red or green, and his face extremely masculine. _Could they be siblings?_ he wondered to himself, but dismissed the thought from his mind. No princess would ever be allowed to walk by herself in the middle of a war zone at night.

"You come seeking to join us, yes?" mused Sun Quan, relaxing back into his golden throne. Only then did Gan Ning notice two people standing behind the throne. One, to the right, was a tall and dark figure, standing with a grim silence about him. He wore dark armor with golden and red inlaid. His hand rested on his dark red scabbard, intricately worked with a golden design, and his face was hidden in shadow from his head scarf.

To the left was a man so beautiful he could have been mistaken for a woman. His long russet-colored hair flowed down past his shoulders, kept away from his eyes by a silk band. A long sleeve-white silk shirt was decorated with an intricate red swirl design, his forearms covered with matching armguards. On top of the shirt was a lightly armored red and yellow overcoat. He stood calmly behind Sun Quan, his milk chocolate eyes studying the pirate. Gan Ning shifted his attention back to Sun Quan and nodded, "Yes, my lord. I have found that no other master has the potential to accomplish great things." Quan smiled at this.

"You would be great asset to us," Sun Quan spoke softly. His face hardened. "But you are also a pirate. You terrorized my people along the Chang Jiang River. You raided their villages and forced them to host you. To those who refused met your blade. We would be fools to turn you away, but how can we keep a pirate on our conscience?" Gan Ning felt a great swell of emptiness begin to fill him, but kept his expression emotionless and calm.

The dark figure from behind the throne suddenly stepped forward. "You forget that I was a pirate too once," the man prompted. Sun Quan looked at the man and nodded; the figure stepped back.

"If I may interject here, Zhongmou, you have before you a capable warrior. It would be unwise to turn him away. He is loyal to no end. He is the one who shot down our own Ling Cao to protect the coward that ignored him for so long. Consider this in your decision," the handsome man announced, his voice ringing musically throughout the large hall. Sun Quan turned to this man and nodded to him as well.

Gan Ning bowed lowly and prostrated himself before Sun Quan, awaiting the man's decision. He used this time to calm himself, trying to find something, anything, to keep his mind off of the decision he was waiting for. The woman's face appeared at the forefront of his mind once again, smiling at him from his memory.

Letting his imagination run wild, he found himself thinking about her on his boat. They'd sit on either side of the main mast, looking out at the sea from the yards. It would be just them, the drifting boat, and the sea. He could teach her to fish. Heat rose to his face slightly as he imagined her hands awkwardly holding the pole, a bright smile spreading across her face when there was a tug on the line.

He kicked that thought away. He'd never see that woman again. He couldn't even remember her name. What was the use of thinking about something that could never be? He mentally slapped himself for not concentrating on what he would do if he wasn't allowed to join. It was then Gan Ning began to realize that he had virtually nothing if he was sent away. All he would have would be himself, Sea Master, and his gelding. It would be a life of solitude. Only then did he truly understand exactly how badly he wanted to be accepted.

Gan Ning could hear Sun Quan murmuring with various other advisers as well as the two men that spoke in his favor. They fell silent and Sun Quan addressed him once again. "Gan Ning, stand before me," he ordered, his tone unreadable. As Gan Ning stood, "The welcoming banquet will be shortly before sunset. The bell will toll three times as a reminder. Lü Meng will gladly show you to the bedchambers to let you choose your room from those open to you."

Gan Ning bowed low, "So I may serve you?" Sun Quan laughed.

"Get up, my friend! As comrades, we can't have you feeling as though you must be subservient to me, can we?" Quan stood and strode to face his new recruit. He put a hand on Gan Ning's shoulder. "There's no need to impress me with your throne room manners right now. Hurry, I'm sure Lü Meng can't wait to ask you about this meeting. He's too curious for his own good sometimes."

Gan Ning smiled at the man, with the strange feeling that maybe everything would be okay. "Before I leave, might I inquire of the two men who plead my case?" Sun Quan smiled and waved the men over.

"This is Zhou Tai, styled Youping." Sun Quan gestured to the man in dark armor. "And this is Zhou Yu, styled Gongjin." The men bowed, which Gan Ning returned. "You can get to know them later. Don't forget the banquet tonight; it is of the utmost importance you attend. You are dismissed."

Gan Ning bowed and backed away until he the doors closed before him. When he stood, Lü Meng stood before him, bouncing with excitement. "So what happened?" he asked almost immediately.

Gan Ning looked at him and smiled. "I'm here to stay." Lü Meng grinned broadly. "But there's a banquet tonight, and these are all the clothes I brought with me. Our Lord also said you're going to get me a room to stay in?" The officer nodded and motioned for Gan Ning to follow him.

As they moved briskly away from the ceremonial room, Gan Ning asked, "Do you think Sun Quan would let me stay on my ship?" Lü Meng gave him a funny look.

"You have a ship with you?" He laughed. "Why didn't you just sail up the Chang Jiang?"

Gan Ning rolled his eyes, a bit annoyed. His words carried a slight edge as he replied, "I don't have it now. I had to leave it behind with Zu. I know Su Fei'll take care of her for me." Meng nodded quietly, vaguely miffed.

"I don't see why that would be a problem," he speculated coldly. They walked in silence for a short while until they stopped in a circular room. It was the junction of three hallways.

Lü Meng cleared his throat. "These two halls are for bedchambers, as well as the two floors above us. Don't go on the third floor. Those rooms are only for women. Choose your room from those with open doors. I'll send servants here in a few minutes with clothes for tonight and bed sheets, among other things." He left Gan Ning to examine his surroundings.

The first of the three halls that met in the corridor he found himself suddenly alone in was the hall they emerged. The second was to the left of him. The floor pattern naturally continued in this direction. Down that hall, Gan Ning could see many doors on either side. At the far end was a staircase to the upper level of the palace. He turned his head to the other hallway.

It was obviously much older and gave the appearance that it went unused for a very long time. The entrance was strange, almost as though a giant fist had punched a circular hole through the new walls to reveal an older world, a forgotten world. Unlike the other hallway, this one had doors on only the left side and the sight of the river at the far end. The right was simply a balustrade to allow the brilliant view of an old garden with a small reflection pool. Some of the flowers remained in clusters, but most were scattered randomly throughout it. The weather had worn away at the stones and various statues, some to beyond recognition. Gan Ning took a step toward this hallway, his curiosity ignited by the strange stone sculptures.

Choosing to find a room down that hall, he discovered that all the rooms were empty. He examined each one, finding the one at the far end to his liking. The actual bedchamber was larger than he was used to, with a window facing the river and an adjoining room for the. The sitting room was large and had a fine view of the seemingly abandoned garden to the north and the river to the west. Being in the corner at the end of the older hallway, he suddenly realized most people would not go this far out of their way to visit with someone.

"Not that anyone would want to visit me, anyway," he remarked out loud, breaking the silence. "Especially since I somehow pissed of Lü Meng. Great, not even a day here and I've already pissed off someone." Gan Ning shrugged it off and walked out to look at his new home. The serenity of it all...it was hard for him to comprehend that he could live here.

He remembered that servants were probably waiting for him at the circular room. He wandered over there to find the servants had arrived. They quietly followed him to his chosen room and set the sheets, curtains, and other cloths quietly. Noticing they were lacking something that he needed to have, Gan Ning asked them to bring him silks that he might hang from the ceiling. They left and returned promptly, one bringing with them a multitude of gauzy silk sheets, all different shades of red or gold. The other brought formal attire for the ex-pirate to wear. "Thank you," he replied quietly as the servants quickly returned to the newer palace quarters.

Not wasting any time, he hung sheets throughout his entire chambers. Satisfied with is handiwork, he shook the dirt from his pants and slipped into the thick brocade collared shirt. Curious, he held aside the silk from the full-length mirror on the other side of the room, amazed at his reflection. The fine fabric covered his tattoos, hiding the symbols spelling out his past normally in plain view. With the exception of his bells and his bandanna, he was actually semi-presentable.

Somehow repulsed by the idea, he let the cloth slide over the mirror again and strode outside. The sinking sun cast the forgotten garden into orange light and long shadows when he heard a deep bell reverberate around the palace grounds. Gan Ning looked sternly at his feet, willing them to find their way to the banquet hall.

He sighed and reluctantly turned to walk down the hallway. At the end, in the circular room, Lü Meng stood waiting for Gan Ning. Surprised, Gan Ning met his friend in the room. "You came to get me?" he asked, surprised. "You seemed angry when we last met."

Lü Meng laughed. "Nah, if I seemed that way, I apologize. And besides, how else will you find the banquet hall?" he asked, grinning. Gan Ning shrugged and the two were on their way.

Speaking the entire way there, the two quickly found themselves in the banquet hall. It was similar to the ceremonial room Gan Ning found himself in earlier yet obviously used for a different purpose. Near the opposite wall, a long and gold-trimmed table ran parallel to it on a raised portion of the floor. At the center was a large chair, elaborately decorated in gold. The other chairs around this table were trimmed in gold as well, but nowhere near as intricately as the central one. Thick, wood tables were arranged perpendicular to the first table, and the chairs positioned around the tables were simply wood. The walls were plain, but all else was so detailed, the absence was hardly missed.

The chairs were filling up quickly and Lü Meng showed him to a place near the seat of honor. Gan Ning wasn't quite surprised; he vaguely remembered Sun Quan insisting the importance of his attendance. Lü Meng sat farther down on the table. Gan Ning busied himself by trying to figure out what he was supposed to be doing, scanning the table surreptitiously. He finally looked up to the rest of the room when he saw Lü Meng stand as Sun Quan entered. The room had filled up completely with the exception of the large chair, which Sun Quan sat in. The entire room sat afterwards.

"My friends! We gather here tonight for a variety of reasons. First, our delicious feast!" Sun Quan announced and, as if on cue, servants burst through the doors with huge carts of hot and cold food. They paraded past the raised table, serving them first. Gan Ning's mouth watered as he waited silently for Sun Quan to begin and finish eating before he touched his food.

However, Gan Ning was surprised when Quan turned to him and smiled. "Are you not hungry, my friend?" Ning immediately popped a meat bun into his mouth with chopsticks.

"It's incredible!" he exclaimed, eating another. The room simmered into laughter as people began eating. Gan Ning spotted someone on the other side of Sun Quan he hadn't noticed before, a beautiful woman with laughing green eyes.

They looked at each other, with a recognition that stirred a strange emotion in the pit of Ning's stomach. It was the woman he was certain he would never see again. After finally making up his mind about forgetting her, here she was. She was sitting plainly before him, laughing at him with her wide, innocent eyes. Oh, those eyes, locked on his, they were a sort of addiction. He could not break the gaze, but he knew at once that he had to. Gan Ning nodded at her, she to him. With that, they turned to their own meals and ate.

When they finished and servants took the dishes away, Gan Ning looked to Sun Quan once again as the man stood. The room immediately fell silent. "Now that our bellies have been filled, they must be warmed with wine!" Servants brought out wine and small dishes of food to eat with it. Once all the men had wine, Sun Quan raised his glass goblet. "Let us toast! We rejoice in the opportunity that Ba Ling presents us. That small border province is crucial in our war against Wei! Our influence will soon reach it, bringing forth a new power for us! It will be Wu's name to sound throughout the land!" The room erupted into cheers as Sun Quan downed the wine, and all the men followed suit. The Emperor turned to Gan Ning after pouring himself another goblet of wine. "And again we toast! We raise our glasses to honor and welcome our newest officer, Gan Ning, styled Xingba! His loyalty and valor will surely help us as we spread peace throughout the land!" Sun Quan and his men drank again.

Suddenly, a man rose from the farthest end of the table. He was taller than average, quite lean, and styled his hair in a thick ponytail high on his head. The man's eyes were dark and mourning, his expression that of utter loathing. With one distasteful look at Gan Ning, the man pulled out nunchaku and began charging Ning. "BLOOD DEBTS MUST BE PAID!" he cried, swinging the spike-ended nunchaku with incredible skill. The room froze as the man raised his arm to hit Gan Ning. He brought it down and made contact with a sickening crack that silenced the entire room.

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Yay cliffhanger! I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long. I have been known to be a perfectionist at times lol The next chapter shouldn't take so long to get out! Thanks for reading and reviewing :)

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	6. Admittance Part 3

**_Silk Flags_**

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DISCLAIMER: I only own the plot in this chapter. The characters are all Koei's.

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**Chapter Five: Admittance Part III**

Recap:

Suddenly, a man rose from the farthest end of the table. He was taller than average, quite lean, and styled his hair in a thick ponytail high on his head. The man's eyes were dark and mourning, his expression that of utter loathing. With one distasteful look at Gan Ning, the man pulled out nunchaku and began charging Ning. "BLOOD DEBTS MUST BE PAID!" he cried, swinging the spike-ended nunchaku with incredible skill. The room froze as the man raised his arm to hit Gan Ning. He brought it down and made contact with a sickening crack.

Gan Ning held his now-broken chair before him, fending off his assailant. A few blocks later, the woman had grabbed hold of the man from behind. "NO! PRINCESS, LET ME GO! I HAVE TO KILL HIM!" he shouted, struggling in her grip.

Ning almost dropped his chair. _Princess?!_ he thought, _Impossible!_ He looked at the feminine figure, now aided by Lü Meng and Zhou Yu, attempting to mollify the man. Lowering what remained of his chair, he turned to Sun Quan.

"Ling Tong! What has gotten into you?" Sun Quan demanded.

"He killed him! That bastard shot him in cold blood! I have to kill him, for my father! I need to!" Ling Tong insisted, still struggling to break free.

"Calm yourself!" Quan ordered. Ling Tong finally stopped moving, but his hate-filled stare contorted his face. Gan Ning looked the younger officer over quickly.

_Barely even a man and he's already bloodlusting for my head.._., Ning thought, disgusted. He bowed low and quietly asked, "Might I take this chance to explore the palace grounds, my Lord?"

Sun Quan nodded, "Yes, this sounds like a perfect idea. Go, and take my sister with you. She knows the grounds better than anyone."

"Sister?" asked Gan Ning, raising an eyebrow. And it was the woman who came up to him and smiled, mischief shining in her eyes. He bowed low again. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady _Sun_," he greeted, emphasizing 'Sun'.

She smiled and bowed as well. "The pleasure is all mine, Master Gan." They returned to standing and left quietly, leaving Sun Quan to reprimand Ling Tong.

Once outside, the two wandered to near the training grounds. Gan Ning turned to the woman. "Why didn't you?" he asked quietly, leaning casually against a column.

"Why didn't I what? Tell you I was a princess?" she asked, laughing. "You think it's a good idea for me to announce to any strange man I meet late one night while strolling in the woods that I'm royalty?" Ning shrugged. "Well, I was taking a risk anyway."

"So what is your actual name? Lady Sun what?" he asked.

She sat down on the ground, leaning her back against the pillar and closed her eyes. "I'm Sun Shang Xiang, Princess of Wu, sister of the Southlands Emperor Sun Quan." Opening them, she regarded him curiously once more. "And were you who you said you were?"

Gan Ning grinned. "Gan Ning of Lin Jiang. But probably better known as Gan Ning of the Bells or the Pirate with Silken Sails." Shang Xiang nodded, as if his two most common aliases were familiar to her.

Again, they fell silent as they did before. Looking out at the empty field, Shang Xiang sighed. "I must apologize for Ling Tong back there," she told him quietly. "He lost his father at Xiakou, you know. I guess he's going crazy or something." Gan Ning shrugged, not sure what his place was on the subject.

For a long time, not a sound passed between them; rather, they listened. The faint sound of the river's current blended smoothly with the chirping of the insects and frogs. When the wind began to pick up, the melody of a far-off harp gave song to the natural rhythms that already encompassed the pair.

Gan Ning felt out of place, an intruder on the tranquility of palace life. The sweet scent of a plant he couldn't name, the sounds of nature, music from a royal musician, and the princess, of course, were things he never imagined could be his before. Although, there was no doubt in his mind that she would never belong to him. But for the moment, a small part of him so desperately wished to pretend that she was his. That she would turn at any moment and give him a smile that she reserved only for him. _I must've had too much to eat...what am I thinking_? he thought angrily, _Dammit, this is a princess. Why am I thinking about her like this? As if she, of all women, would ever consider me good enough. Ha! An outlaw and royalty...Zu was right. I am one hell of a bastard._

"It's hypocritical, really." Sun Shang Xiang broke the silence, standing and looking at him. "Taking the lives of men, boys, fathers, sons, grandfathers, uncles..., and demand remorse for his own father?" Gan Ning was confused until he realized she was talking about Ling Tong. His face fell as he came upon a realization. "But, I can sympathize with his feelings."

"Such is how a good wife is to act, is she not?" Gan Ning replied, assuming that her talk spurred out of what must be a husband-wife relationship between the two.

Shang Xiang laughed. "How should I know how a good wife is? You think he and I are bound by marriage?" she asked incredulously. Gan Ning blushed and shrugged, thankful the clouds kept the moon from revealing his red cheeks. She doubled over in laughter. He smiled, watching as she laughed until tears streamed down her cheeks. "Ha, I've never laughed like this before in my life," she told him, smiling and crying.

Closing the gap between them immensely with a single step, Gan Ning reached up and brushed away the tears from her face, the back of his hand on one side and with is fingertips on the other. He smiled, contented. Her skin truly felt as smooth as it looked; a touch so foreign beneath his calloused fingers. The conscience inside Gan Ning warned him to step back, to get away, to retreat from this dangerous territory. As much as he wanted to stay close to her, he shifted his weight to his back foot and began to let his hand fall away from her face.

She grabbed a hold of his wrist and held his palm up to her cheek. Putting her other hand over his, he cupped her face, his thumb wiping away the last of her tears. She closed her eyes, rubbing against his hand. "So warm...," Shang Xiang whispered. Looking at him directly, she smiled. "Your eyes are too. It's nice to see emotion among so many stoic faces."

Gan Ning smiled sincerely, not even realizing until then that his usually detached expression had melted away in her presence. "You are too kind, princess," he told her quietly. "I never met a woman who showed such compassion to a pirate."

"And I never met a pirate as handsome as you," she told him, smiling gently back. She stepped forward, her hand on his wrist sliding down his to his mid-forearm. The touch of her fingertips barely grazing his skin sent him into a fit of gooseflesh. It was a strange sensation he hadn't experienced because of a woman before.

"Gan Ning? Lady Sun? Where are you?" someone called from inside the palace. They immediately separated, returning to different pillars while looking over the training grounds. Gan Ning turned to see Lü Meng step outside. "There you two are! Ling Tong has been sent to his room; he's calmed down now. I'm sorry to cut your tour short, but Sun Quan requests you both back to join the festivities," Lü Meng told them cheerfully, "I hope you didn't take that personally, Gan Ning. He's just grieving. It should pass soon." Gan Ning nodded.

"We should go back now," Sun Shang Xiang commented, already walking inside the palace. Gan Ning and Lü Meng followed her.

Upon their arrival, Sun Shang Xiang turned to look over her shoulder at Gan Ning. She smiled and told him cheerfully, "Look! Zhou Yu is letting his wife dance. Isn't she graceful?"

He nodded. The woman's light brown hair flowed seamlessly, adorned with flowered combs and pearls. White and orange silks adorned her slim figure, her smile flashing as she twirled in her dance. She was a beauty, and she knew it. Gan Ning would have been attracted to such a stunning woman.

As the lovely woman finished her dance, he found that there was already another who captured his attention. She stood beside him, and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

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Yay! Another chapter's up! I know it's pretty short, but I don't think adding on to it would have the same effect. That's just me personally. I'd love to know what you think! Thanks to those who review :) You all help keep this story going.

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	7. Intuition

**_Silk Flags_**

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DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, except for my original character.

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**Chapter Six: Intuition**

Recap:

As the lovely woman finished her dance, he found that there was already another who captured his attention. She stood beside him, and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

Gan Ning woke in his bed the next morning before the sun rose. He tossed the sheets at the foot of the bed, swinging his feet off to the floor. Rubbing the sleep from one of his eyes, he cast a dark glance at his discarded clothes from the previous night. They lied in an abandoned corner, haphazardly crumpled into an assortment of brocade, cotton, silk, and brass peeking from beneath folds of clothes.

Standing swiftly, he shivered slightly from the brisk morning air. After dressing himself, he fixed his bandanna in the mirror and made his way to the training grounds. He paused at the spot he and Sun Shang Xiang spoke last night, quickly looking over the expanse of land before him.

Fairly close to him was a multitude of combat rings, some with various wooden weapons in barrels. Loosely organized quite a few yards away from the rings were different classes of weights. Dirt tracks for horse training ran parallel to these two, the stables acting as a divider between the two. Gan Ning saw grooms leading the horses off, he assumed to one of the pastures he saw yesterday. Even farther, he witnessed servants setting up collections of blunted javelins on what he assumed were fields, measured and marked for distance with dummies. With one final squint, he could barely make out what must have been an archery range at the farthest end of the training grounds.

"Getting an early start?" a voice asked gruffly from behind Gan Ning. He whipped around to see Lü Meng walking up in cotton clothes with slight amounts of leather padding around his forearms, shoulders, and knees. "Why train alone when you've got friends? I'm glad I caught you; I could learn a thing or two from you."

Gan Ning laughed. "And I from you," he remarked as the two warriors began training together.

Later that day, servants found and asked Gan Ning and Lü Meng to follow them at the request of Sun Quan. "What's going on?" Gan Ning asked Lü Meng on the way.

Lü Meng shrugged. "Probably military council. Not much else he calls on me for, and you're brand new here so I doubt it would be something other than that." Lü Meng glanced over at his comrade. "I mean no offense by that."

Ning laughed. "None taken. I get the drill. I've served more than just one lord." They soon arrived before a new set of, once again, enormous doors that inevitably led to a formal room. This time, creamy white walls and floors accented the dark wood of the large table that took up most of the tall room. Chairs lined the table, with a larger chair, complete with silk pillows, at the head. A large map of China neatly spread over the far end of the table, facing the larger chair. Gan Ning only then noticed the Wu emblem at the head of the chair, most likely marking it as Sun Quan's. A few scrolls adorned the walls, scarcely filling what would have been an obnoxious amount of empty space. He noticed small servant's mats lining the walls behind Sun Quan's empty chair and inquired Lü Meng about them.

"Great," he sighed, "It's going to be a long meeting." Resigning himself to a chair at the farther end of the table, Gan Ning sat next to him. "Make yourself comfortable, if you can."

Gan Ning laughed and pointed out sarcastically, "I'm sitting in a chair at a Wu military meeting after only being here for a day. One kid already wants my head as a trophy. And you say to make myself comfortable."

Lü Meng rolled his eyes and stood, leaning forward slightly in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the map, but servants announced Sun Quan before he could make anything out clearly. The entire room stood and watched as Zhou Yu and Zhou Tai entered beside Sun Quan, taking their places before the two chairs to the right and left of Sun Quan's. The Emperor looked around the room, scanning the faces of his men before seating himself comfortably on the cushions.

Once the meeting began, military scholars began arguing monotonously between one another, each seeking to disprove the others as much as possible. Gan Ning phased in and out of what he considered incredibly inefficient conversation. During his daydreams, his mind lightly drifted toward Sun Shang Xiang. Gan Ning grinned and shook his head slightly; his actions mocking his silliness of dwelling on her.

"Gan Ning? Do you have another plan for our adversary in the north?" asked Zhou Yu. Gan Ning shrugged.

"In what regards? Cao Cao? That villain has his sights set on Liu Biao's land, as the latter is ill. Why wouldn't the Southlands try and gain his land? Liu Biao should soon pass, and his sons are not fit to rule. Why not attack someone who is hated and weak?" suggested Gan Ning.

"Who are you implying?" asked Sun Quan, curious.

"Huang Zu. His ranks are in disorder and he has few leaders who can effectively train them. Take him down, then you can gain Ba and Shu, and you'll have a pretty piece to call your own," the ex-pirate explained. After a pause, he hurriedly added, "My Lord."

Sun Quan grinned. Nodding to Gan Ning, he announced, "His advice is most valuable. Let us make preparations at once. Council dismissed!"

Gan Ning acknowledged his lord's small nod with a likewise smile. He also nearly toppled over Lü Meng, too preoccupied with the success of his quick thinking. The two generals quietly conferred as they filed with the other men.

Once they were a safe distance from the room, Lü Meng eagerly began questioning the thinking behind Gan Ning's ideas. Breathlessly, Lü Meng asked, "How long did it take you to think of that? Probably a long while, it's a great strategy. But then again you weren't really paying attention at all, Su Fei raved about you in that respect. If you never cared about the thoughts behind strategy, how do you figure we get Ba and Shu? Those belong to Liu Biao, not Huang Zu! Oh yes, but Zu is paid by Biao, I overlooked that…" After a while, Gan Ning turned to his new friend and bid him to allow him to explain.

"Ah, I've got good instincts. Besides, did you really think I'd be able to spend time with Su Fei and not be subjected to his strategy speeches?" asked Gan Ning, raising an eyebrow. Lü Meng laughed. He was about to retort when servants appeared on either side of him. After some whispered conversation, Lü Meng apologized and took leave. The servants whisked him away on 'official business.'

Watching Lü Meng's retreating form slowly meld into the throngs of people, Gan Ning looked around him. He found himself surrounded by servants scurrying back and forth. Most gossiped with each other in low voices, casting strange glances at the general. Gan Ning chuckled when he noticed a pair of young maids looking at him. He bit at the air, snapping his teeth like a wolf. Gan Ning broke into a mischievous grin, teasing them, "Wolves like me…we bite." He laughed when they blushed and hurried off, giggling.

Gan Ning continued in the direction he and Lü Meng were originally headed. Content for the time being to lose himself in the maze of the palace, he Gan Ning spied another maid. She stood out from the rest. Instead of donned in normal servant dress, she wore armor. The maid was even so bold as to keep a sheathed dagger at her side. Another quality that set this woman from the rest was the way she moved. The other servants walked quickly and chattered with a similar sense of urgency. The strange woman moved slowly, quietly, almost furtively. She was awkwardly carrying a bundle under one arm in a poor attempt to hide inconspicuously whatever she was smuggling. Immediately suspicious, he approached her boldly. Raising his hand slightly, he called from a close distance, "Miss! Wait!"

She stopped and looked at him fearfully. In an instant, she had turned on one heel and raced down a corridor, holding the bundle under one arm. Grumbling, Gan Ning gave chase. He followed her down twisting after twining hallway, losing himself in the labyrinth of passages, stairs, and halls. Finally catching up to her, he grabbed her wrist. "I have you! What have you stolen?" he demanded. The words felt awkward and foreign rolling off his tongue, as though it would have been better if he had not said anything at all.

To his surprise, she reacted with a kick to his head. She nearly made her mark too. Gan Ning dodged barely in time and was completely thrown, both literally and figuratively. In his shock, she managed to trip him and flip him down onto his back. Rolling and standing hurriedly, he saw the maid standing behind a younger woman.

"Lin Nuan, what is this you have brought me?" asked Sun Shang Xiang, hands on her hips. The maid, Lin Nuan, knelt and raised the bundle above her own head, offering it to her mistress.

"I have brought the scrolls you asked. This awful creature followed me," answered Lin Nuan, her voice cold as she spoke of Gan Ning.

Sun Shang Xiang chuckled and took the scrolls from her. "I doubt he is as awful as you say he is. Disregarding that, since when have you scowled at honorable men?"

Gan Ning felt heat rising to his face and quickly interjected, "If she considers me scum, I will take my leave of you, Lady Sun. I would not wish to offend the handmaidens of a kind woman such as yourself."

She laughed and glanced up and down the hallway. "Come in, you would most likely help me more than these scrolls besides. Nuan, rise and help our guest inside." Gan Ning nodded and allowed himself to be escorted inside by the armed handmaiden. Upon entering, he found all of Shang Xiang's handmaidens armored and carrying small weapons. Pole arms and swords, among other weapons, decorated the walls of the sitting room he entered. An entire area had been cleared of furniture, with seats surrounding it as though it was a sparring arena. Large plants in ceramic pots seemed to be randomly set against the wall, somehow skillfully managing in accenting the reds and blacks with green and tan. On an Indian rosewood table in the corner were two small stone markers, bases complete with carved holes for incense. Between them was a jade pot with a candle, and the pot was matched with an intricately carved jade box. He assumed it was a makeshift altar.

Lin Nuan led him to one of the seats on the corner of the sparring arena as Sun Shang Xiang handed the scrolls to two more armored maidens, instructing them to take them to another room. Lin Nuan returned to her mistress for further instruction. After a quick word, Lin Nuan signaled and all handmaidens quietly left the room as Shang Xiang approached Gan Ning, who was busy observing the weapons on the walls. She took a seat on the sofa on the other side of the corner of the sparring arena. Putting her hands one over the other on the armrest and resting her chin atop them, she told him solemnly, "I apologize for Lin Nuan's disrespect."

"I took no offense," he replied, inwardly smirking when he caught sight of a dao on her wall. Turning to meet her curious emerald eyes, he couldn't hide his smile. She reminded him of a tigress getting ready to pounce. When she slowly returned his smile, he had a strange desire for time to suspend itself. Gan Ning wanted to protect her. She seemed innocent, vulnerable almost. If anyone hurt her from the moment he met her, he'd never be able to live it down.

_What am I thinking?_ he thought to himself, _This is idiocy!_ Gan Ning broke the gaze, turning instead to the altars. "Altars?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes, funeral altars," she replied, jaded undertones sneaking into her voice. She stood and strode to them, Gan Ning following suit. Ceremoniously opening the jade box, she retrieved two incense sticks. Holding them together, she lit them in the flame of the candle and separated them, carrying them before the stone markers. "For my father, Sun Jian." Shang Xiang carefully inserted the incense into a hole at the base of the marker to her left. "And my older brother, Sun Ce." She placed the other at the base of the marker to her right.

Gan Ning quietly leaned forward to examine the stones. Reading the dates, he lowered his head. Their deaths were within a few years of each other, and her brother's death was in the past year. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Lady Sun," he attempted to comfort her. The words seemed hollow and insincere; he regretted saying them instantly. He looked to her and saw her shoulders trembling slightly as she sought to conceal her tears. "My Lady?"

"Don't. Please, don't call me Lady Sun, or my Lady, or anything like that. I'm Shang Xiang. You're Gan Ning, not Master Gan. These formalities bore me," she snapped, holding herself in her arms.

Throwing caution into the wind, Gan Ning reached out and pulled her to him. Her shoulder buried into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and upper back. "Cry. Just cry. What do you have to hide from me? Who am I to judge you? Allow yourself to grieve. Sadness does not suit one so beautiful in her kindness," he whispered to her, speaking from a place deep within him. When she didn't appear to respond, he released her from his embrace, all the while mentally kicking himself for taking such a stupid risk. He never should have tried something so strange and out of the ordinary. Turning away from her, Gan Ning felt a pair of eyes watching him. Lin Nuan was watching him, scolding him with her glare. She suddenly hid a smile with her hand as her harsh eyes softened. Gan Ning opened his mouth to ask her what she was looking at.

Soft arms snaked around Gan Ning's torso. He felt Shang Xiang pull herself to him. The tears on his back came in sobs. "Don't let go, not now," she begged him. He turned in her grasp and held her close as she cried into the crock of his neck. Steeling himself once again, he gently kissed her hair and whispered comforting words in order to soothe her.

Shang Xiang continued crying until her knees gave out as her whole being grieved in his arms. Lin Nuan appeared at his side and gently suggested allowing her mistress to sleep. Gan Ning bent and picked up Sun Shang Xiang bridal-style behind Lin Nuan.

"No…put me down. I may have bawled before an acquaintance, but I do not need rest," she insisted. Gan Ning was obliged to set her on her feet, lingering his arms around her. "You must think I'm weak."

Gan Ning shook his head, "Not at all. It takes strength to reveal your weaknesses. You're a strong woman. I'm very glad to have met you."

Shang Xiang smiled, "As I of you." Lin Nuan stepped beside her mistress and bowed.

"Excuse me, but my lady is in need of attending her studies. Her mother is waiting," she chimed. Shang Xiang and Gan Ning exchanged goodbyes and one final glance before handmaidens escorted him out the door.

Feeling excitement well up within him, he strutted all the way to the pastures and found his horse. Jumping on it bareback, he whooped and kicked it into a galloping beeline for the training grounds. At least training would give him time to think.

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Sorry for the huge gap between updates! I wanted to put this chapter out a few weeks ago but I changed parts of it and now it's longer than I intended. Ah, but that's a good thing too. Thanks to those who review!

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	8. Kept Secret

**Silk Flags

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**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, except for my original character.

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**Chapter Seven****: Kept Quiet**

Recap:  
Feeling excitement well up within him, he strutted all the way to the pastures and found his horse. Jumping on it bareback, he whooped and kicked it into a galloping beeline for the training grounds. At least training would give him time to think.

Weeks passed, and soon a date was set to re-engage Huang Zu at Xiakou. It would be a few months, but he was already eager to begin. Gan Ning worked overtime to prepare for the confrontation. Making acquaintances and friends with the help of Lü Meng and Sun Shang Xiang, Jian Ye began to feel more and more like home.

In the coming months before the launch of the campaign against Huang Zu, Gan Ning found himself spending more and more time with Sun Shang Xiang. They would seek each other out for sparring and reviewing of war texts. Their friendship spiraled into something more, or at least Gan Ning felt that way. They took to sneaking into the city together; Shang Xiang would dress as a boy so they could browse the armories and smithies without the stress of the public's eye scathing them in scandal and vicious rumors.

One such day, the two were eating together when they stiffened at the sound of a familiar voice. "Gan Ning!" called Taishi Ci, striding over to the ex-pirate. "Come and join us!" he insisted, as Gan Ning quickly rose.

"My friend and I were just leaving, actually," Gan Ning replied gesturing to Sun Shang Xiang. She nodded solemnly and rose as well, attempting to stand like Gan Ning.

"Nonsense! Once we're on the road for the campaign, we won't have time for much celebration!" Taishi Ci declared, directing Gan Ning to another table. Sun Shang Xiang followed in a half-convincing strut. "Come on now, you and your companion are welcome with us. Sit!" With not much choice, they sat next to each other, joining an already full table. Taishi Ci pulled up a chair for himself, rejoining the circle of Zhu Ran, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Zhou Tai, Lü Meng, the disguised Sun Shang Xiang, and Gan Ning.

"Another round of drinks!" hollered Huang Gai.

"What brings you out to the city?" asked Taishi Ci, curiously.

Gan Ning's mind went blank. He had to come up with a believable story, and fast. However, the only thing running through his mind at the moment was his punishment if he was caught. He was damn near sure that sneaking the princess off the palace grounds could be considered kidnapping, something that grave would have a similar penalty. If caught, he'd most likely be beheaded.

"I'm an old acquaintance of Gan Ning's," answered Shang Xiang, artificially deepening the sound of her voice. "We were just catching up when you invited us to join all of you."

Luckily for the two of them, the drinks arrived as she explained, and the majority of them either didn't care that the voice was a bit too high for a man or didn't notice. Lü Meng caught Gan Ning's eye and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. After a bit more conversation, Huang Gai looked at Sun Shang Xiang and asked, "What did you say your name was, lad?" It was her turn to silently panic and scramble for some bit of believable information.

"How rude I am!" answered Gan Ning, raising his voice slightly. He put his arm around Sun Shang Xiang's shoulder in a show of friendship. "This is Min Xiang. They toasted her with their freshly refilled cups. The men then returned to arguing about the advantages and disadvantages of various weapons. During the conversation, Gan Ning and Sun Shang Xiang whispered to each other sparsely. He turned to see her sip at the alcohol and make a face. He chuckled, "It's nowhere near as sweet as the royal wine you're used to."

"Or tea," she added lowly. They grinned at this. "Hey, where'd you come up with 'Min Xiang' anyway?"

Gan Ning shrugged, "It just came to me. Nice manly voice, by the way." This earned him a punch in the arm. Gan Ning clutched it and grinned at her. He looked past her to see Lü Meng's quiet, curious gaze. His smirk disappeared.

"We should get out of hear before they recognize me," Shang Xiang warned quietly, attempting another sip at her alcohol. The contorted expression on her face clearly showed she still didn't like the bitter taste. He nodded and moved to stand. Sun Shang Xiang did the same.

"Well, we really must be going, gentlemen. Thank you for treating us. I will see you all back at the castle," he announced, with a stern look to Lü Meng. Some men grunted their farewell and others toasted their departure. On the way back to the castle, Sun Shang Xiang couldn't stop laughing.

Gan Ning loved the sound of her laugh. It was like many delicate bells, so melodic and carefree. "That was so exciting!" she exclaimed. He laughed and hushed her as they approached the palace gates.

Returning inside, they wandered the halls. "I loved that! Oh, the danger of being discovered, thinking on our toes, seeing the way those men spoke to me like I was a fellow man…I was a spy!" she gushed, the excitement welling up in her face. Gan Ning grinned and ruffled her hair, stopping to talk in an empty room.

"Hold on there, Shang Xiang. You passed as a man before a bunch of drunk, giddy officers. Not really 'spy material'. But we need to be more careful next time we sneak out, okay?" he asked her.

"I thought so," mused Lü Meng from the doorway. Gan Ning and Sun Shang Xiang turned to see him leaning against the frame. "You make for a convincing man, Min Xiang."

Sun Shang Xiang's jaw dropped. "What?" Lü Meng grinned and stepped forward.

"I suspected it was you. Especially when you punched Gan Ning and made that face. Shang Xiang, that was hilarious," Lü Meng replied, chuckling and imitating her expression. He laughed outright, "Never thought I'd see the princess make a face like that."

Gan Ning snickered nervously. "Well?" he asked, half-curious about what would happen to him now that he'd been caught.

Lü Meng looked from Gan Ning to Sun Shang Xiang before breaking out into a grin. "As much as I don't think that was quite within the law, you don't have to worry about me making a fuss over this. Besides, we all need a breath of fresh air right?" Gan Ning and Sun Shang Xiang both relaxed considerably, turning to grin at each other, their hands brushing each other. Lü Meng never noticed the slight blush that arose in their faces, and if he did, he never let on. "Well, I'm off to the library. Either of you wish to join me?"

"Not really. I feel like riding. See you both around dinner," replied Gan Ning, shrugging away his rosy tinge and left the two briskly.

"I guess I'll go join him. Have fun reading, Meng," added Sun Shang Xiang, trailing after him.

Lü Meng found himself standing alone in the room, looking after the retreating figure of Sun Shang Xiang and Gan Ning. She ran to catch up with him and they continued together before he chuckled to himself. "Am I the only one seeing what's going on here?" he wondered aloud.

"Not really," mused a voice from behind him. Whipping around, Lü Meng recognized the small, lightly armored handmaiden.

"Ah! Lin Nuan, you startled me," he grinned. She smiled back and sidled up to him, watching her mistress and Gan Ning turn a corner.

"I'm sorry, Master Meng. They're hopeless, though. I don't think either realizes it," she told him.

He nodded in agreement. "I caught them sneaking out to the city together today," he added. "Seems like he's helped her with…you know…"

Lin Nuan looked at him curiously. "It's almost funny; he's been kinder to her than his Eminence. I didn't guess it at first, but he's good for her."

"It should end soon, though, before they get hurt," Lü Meng replied.

"You don't think people of different classes should become romantically involved?" asked Lin Nuan, quirking an eyebrow.

Lü Meng laughed. "I wouldn't say that. She's the princess. She should marry for Wu, even if her father wanted her to marry for love. Luckily, Lady Wu seems to have agreed with him."

Lin Nuan leaned her head onto his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his arm. "They remind me of another pair I knew once…" her voice trailed off. She stood on her toes and kissed his shoulder, the highest point she could reach. Before Lü Meng could respond, she walked off, babbling about the list of things she had yet to do. He grinned and chased after her, all thoughts of the library long abandoned.

Outside, Gan Ning and Sun Shang Xiang were riding around the grounds, joking and talking like they had grown up together, ignoring signs of storm. They had wandered pretty close to the outskirts of the castle grounds when the ominous sky opened up and began pouring.

"Oh, shit," groaned Sun Shang Xiang, feeling the first few cold, fat raindrops hit her. She looked apologetically at Gan Ning, who simply nodded. They wordlessly tugged their horses to try and get back to the palace.

By the time they reached very familiar ground, they both were sufficiently soaked. Sun Shang Xiang was shivering from the cold. Grooms at the stables urged their wet horses into stalls so their masters could seek refuge in the palace. They ran indoors, Gan Ning's spiky hair somehow only remotely deflated.

Sun Shang Xiang stood shivering in a deserted hallway, looking up at Gan Ning, mischievous grin lighting up her cold, pale face. "Give me your vest," she demanded, sticking her tongue out.

He scoffed. "No way! I'm freezing too, Shang Xiang."

She looked like she was about to say something when she heard her brother's voice from around the corner. Her eyes widened. "If he sees me like this, I'll never hear the end of it," she whispered. Sun Shang Xiang's eyes frantically searched the hallway for any room to escape into, though there was none.

"Let's go," replied Gan Ning, grabbing her hand and racing away from the voices. He found a small closet at the end of the corridor, and they crammed in. Leaving a crack in the door, he looked out to see Sun Quan walking slowly with a group of advisors and guards. He turned to Sun Shang Xiang, whispering, "They're in the hallway. If we're quiet, we'll be fine." She nodded.

Gan Ning forced himself to think of the battle in a few weeks, distracting his thoughts from their proximity. He had the most beautiful woman he'd ever imagined pressed up against him, soaking wet, and shivering from the cold. The danger of being caught made adrenaline pound in his veins, and it took all his self-control not to take her then and there.

Slowly, he regained control of himself and found the sensibility to remove his green and gold vest. Sun Shang Xiang looked up at him, curious and afraid. He smiled warmly into her eyes, noticing the way the water dripped gracefully from her hair and onto her body, which so perfectly fit against his. With the utmost silence he could, he managed to drape the vest around her shoulders. He moved to pull his arms away from her when he felt small arms creeping up his torso, resting on his chest. She leaned her head innocently above her hands. Grinning, he rested his chin atop her head and squeezed her shivering form against him.

"Gan Ning?" she whispered after minutes of silence. He moved his head and looked at her. She looked up at him.

"Yes?"

Sun Shang Xiang crept up to him slowly as he leaned forward to her, watching her all the while. She blushed, pausing just below him, breathing in the warm aroma of his skin.

Gan Ning grinned and kissed her, his lips gently brushing against hers. He always imagined them to be soft, but he was still blown away by her touch. Gan Ning felt fire burning from every inch of her pressed against him, but the desire to take her vanished. Left behind was a new feeling, almost untainted by his previous wishes. He was content to hold her in his arms, share his warmth with her on the cold day.

_Shit! What __am I doing?_ he thought, breaking off the kiss gently.

Looking up at him with emerald eyes, Sun Shang Xiang blushed. "Something wrong? I'm sorry, that was my first kiss," she apologized, her voice barely audible as the sounds of the group outside became increasingly louder as they approached.

"Oh, what the hell," he grinned and cupped her face up to him as he kissed her more firmly this time. He nearly sang out when she kissed him back, her hands sliding up his chest and finding a comfortable position behind his neck. Gan Ning shifted his hand to cup her face, and she played with the end of his bandana in her fingers.

The sound of the voices had long moved on when they ceased their kissing and snuck out into the hallway together, fingers laced. Sun Shang Xiang giggled as he moved their hands up and kissed hers.

"Gan Ning?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for the vest."

* * *

Sorry for the long update! This chapter's short, but I've been busy. I worked overtime to put this up for Valentine's Day :) Hope you enjoyed it!


	9. Xiakou, Revisited

**Silk Flags**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, except for my original character.

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Xiakou, Revisited**

Recap:

The sound of the voices had long moved on when they ceased their kissing and snuck out into the hallway together, fingers laced. Sun Shang Xiang giggled as he moved their hands up and kissed hers.

"Gan Ning?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for the vest."

The sun shone bright the day the men of Wu set off to confront Huang Zu at Xiakou. Zhou Yu was Commander-in-Chief, Lü Meng was van leader, and Sun Quan held the main part of the army they were sending. All in all, it was about one hundred thousand men who left to take down Sun Jian's murderer once and for all. Gan Ning rode alongside Lü Meng for the majority of the trek to their base. The last day, both remained silent, lost in their own thoughts. Gan Ning glanced over at the older man, reading his expression. It was clear Meng's thoughts were on the upcoming battle. Gan Ning looked away and returned to his own.

He wasn't sure if he was thankful that he'd been so busy preparing for Xiakou. It was nice to be doing something so familiar. War, he know it well and enjoyed fighting. No doubt a flotilla would be waiting for them once they reached the Wu camp. He was excited to use ships again. He might even be able to get his own ship back. Gan Ning grinned at that prospect. No more permanent land living.

And there was the aspect of the rigorous last minute training. He had only seen Sun Shang Xiang a total of three times during the week before he left. She sat beside him for only a few minutes for breakfast, only for another officer to drag him to dine with them or he needed to report to the field. Lunches were quick and out on the broad training field, and he at dinners later than the rest of the palace. Gan Ning felt Lü Meng's watchful eyes studying him more than once that week, with a masked, brooding intensity more than he realized.

Looking up once more, he noticed Lü Meng's expression had changed from pensive to slightly anxious. "What is it, gramps?" Gan Ning asked.

"Nothing, and I told you yesterday to stop calling me gramps!" retorted Lü Meng. Gan Ning had begun calling him 'gramps' once he discovered the man's age.

"But gramps, it's getting close to lunchtime," he pointed out, resting a hand on his stomach.

Lü Meng laughed. "Is that all you think about?" Gan Ning rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Besides, we're nearly there. These few days have really gone by quickly, haven't they?"

"Yeah," conceded Gan Ning, "When are we going to start this payback? Damn, I haven't been a serious been in a serious brawl since I fought you. It's about time I got back to it."

Lü Meng chuckled, "Always the fighter, never the lover."

Gan Ning blanched under his tan, but replied confidently, "I know my way around a pair of legs." He paused, then winked, adding, "And between them." Lü Meng rolled his eyes; Gan Ning snickered. "And you have no blood on your halberd?"

Lü Meng stiffened, his chin protruding forward ever so slightly as the man's stubbornness personified itself. "Blood on my…I'll have you know I've satisfied many a woman!" he announced indignantly. The soldiers eavesdropping smirked as their officers argued about sexual prowess.

Luckily for Lü Meng, who was beginning to lose the argument, the Wu camp appeared on the horizon.

That night...

...Back at the palace, Sun Shang Xiang  
leapt into the air and landed a powerful  
kick on the head of a training dummy,  
watching it teeter violently as a prideful  
satisfaction rose within her. She had  
finished practicing her marital arts,  
excited about her recent progress.

…At the camp, Gan Ning relaxed in his  
tent, the fullness of his stomach and the  
flickering torches lulling him into a  
tranquil limbo between consciousness  
and slumber. Suddenly, something  
crashed onto his torso, forcefully tearing  
him from sleep's welcoming embrace.

Breathing heavily, she ran her fingers  
through her sweaty hair and sighed. The  
weeks after her secret kiss with Gan Ning  
had been tortuous for her. Every time she  
thought they would get time together,  
there would be something or someone  
drawing him away. Sometimes, she  
would go days without seeing him  
because she didn't wake early enough to  
eat with the men.

Gan Ning jumped to his feet and set to  
face his assailant in one swift motion. He  
relaxed when he heard laughter, squinting  
groggily in the direction of whoever was  
vociferously amused. His assailant was  
actually Lü Meng. Gan Ning grumbled,  
picking up whatever slid off his torso  
when he jumped out of bed. It was just a  
bag of grain. Gan Ning grumbled and  
rubbed his face. "What the hell is this?"

She wondered aloud to the human-shaped  
dummy before her, "Was it just bad luck?  
Maybe he doesn't think of me like I think  
of him." Shang Xiang lowered her head.  
"How _do_ I think of him, anyway? Maybe  
it's just because of that…kiss…that I  
think this. Or maybe not, I don't know. I  
do know I feel very strongly for him,  
whatever I do feel." She looked up and  
started stretching, her muscles aching  
dully from the workout.

"Rice."  
"Oh," Gan Ning responded. He paused,  
then, "Why?"  
"Maybe you should look inside. It's not  
going to kill you. Or maybe it is. I don't  
know," grinned Lü Meng, responding but  
evading a definite answer.  
Gan Ning grumbled and opened the sack.

Tears struggled to claim her fair cheeks,  
but if they were of physical pain, she did  
not know. Sun Shang Xiang wiped them  
away at her eyes. When she finished  
putting away the dummy, she walked  
slowly back her room.

Inside, a wine bottle protruded slightly  
from beneath the rice. Gan Ning moved  
to pick it up when Lü Meng stopped him.  
"It's empty," he explained, "But that was  
hilarious. Come on, we got a meeting to  
get to."

"I still want him to be my friend; he treats  
me like a normal human being," she  
sighed aloud when she was alone in her  
room. Her white silk chemise swayed  
gently in the warm night air as she leaned  
her crossed arms on the windowsill. "But  
if he really wanted to be my friend, he  
would have found ways to spend time  
with me, right? So maybe he doesn't  
really like me at all and he's probably just  
appeasing me because I'm his superior."  
She moved her hand to hold her forehead  
in her palm. "I am such an idiot. He was  
just trying to make me happy because I'm  
the sister of his liege. I guess he doesn't  
really like me much after all."

"Go on ahead, I'll be there in a few  
minutes," he replied, inwardly groaning  
in disgust of yet _another_ meeting. Lü  
Meng nodded and left. Gan Ning waited  
for a moment before sighing. He  
particularly hated these meetings. They  
were pointless, just reviewing the same  
shit they talked about during the last  
meeting. He used to find talking about  
upcoming battles exciting; however, the  
levels of dissection, analyzing, and  
planning was too in depth for his taste.  
Gan Ning preferred his chats with Shang  
Xiang. The talks were simple and  
lighthearted, free of the weighty  
terminology of the official meetings.

Listlessly walking to her bed, she cast  
one look at the sky. She still could not  
suppress the wish that rose up within her,  
so much she whispered it without even  
realizing she spoke it. "I wish he was  
here with me right now."

Standing reluctantly, he walked out of the  
tent. He gazed at the sky, so  
similar to the night he met Shang Xiang.  
As he approached his destination, he  
found himself mumbling, "I wish she was  
here with me right now."

The rising sun saluted the men of Wu finishing battle preparations. They made last minute checks, additions, subtractions, replacements, and repairs to anything they could. Gan Ning strode purposefully up and down the columns of men, barking at anything out of place or inefficient for their task. He was determined to prove his worth and establish his loyalty to Sun Quan.

Once he finally found everything to his satisfaction, he grinned brilliantly and laughed. His men were puzzled; after his strict, down-to-business checkups, he stood before them and laughed. "Men!" he shouted, "I have no words of inspiration for you now, for we are soldiers of Wu! Therefore, I ask, why waste our energy unnecessarily? Why aggravate ourselves so our minds are fatigued with too much preparation beforehand? We are able men. We are strong men. We need not squander our discipline now! Our battle is not here! Relax your minds in such a way that when our task arrives, you are clear and focused. Calm yourself so when the time arrives, you can win glory for Wu!"

"For Wu!" the men shouted, invigorated. They found a new sort of respect and admiration for their officer, calming their anxious minds as he asked. Gan Ning smiled and nodded to Lü Meng. In a few minutes, the army began to move.

It did not seem to take long for the armies to arrive at Xiakou, where still more soldiers were preparing ships for launch. Rowboats waited for use in a surprise attack before main forces arrived. Lü Meng chuckled to himself as his friend's face lit up at the sight of the galleys and ships.

Many more pep talks, checks, and reminders later, the loaded boats set forth to Huang Zu's fleet. They were organized fifty men per boat, some strictly for rowing and the rest infantrymen. Gan Ning resisted the urge to drum his fingers as he waited, a bad habit he inherited while spending time with Sun Shang Xiang.

In a few alert minutes, the Wu watercrafts were within range to begin their attack. Gan Ning seized his chance. With a mighty roar, he leapt aboard a ship, sufficiently intimidating the men on board. His sword was a dazzle of glistening metal as he cleared a path for the men who continued his assault. The deck soon found itself engulfed in a tumultuous battle that raged between two fiercely loyal sides. Above the commotion, with a grunt of triumph, the infamous _dao_ of the ringing pirate embedded itself into the skull of Deng Long. Gan Ning shouted victoriously, distracting the enemy enough to give Wu the upper hand.

Meanwhile, Lü Meng and his men had been sailing from ship to ship, setting the fleet ablaze. Noticing a boat escaping from one of the burning, sinking ships, Lü Meng urged his men to continue fighting before arranging for a pursuit. He jumped in, determined to pursue the fleeing general.

The race for shore became desperate struggled against the current, but the distance between the two craft became increasingly shorter. Wu simply had more men to row. Soon, they were landing almost one after the other. In his haste, the other general had the misfortune of tripping as he scrambled out of the boat. The shadow eased over the fallen man and paralyzed him. Staring up, the officer was petrified. Lü Meng's expression darkened as he grasped his weapon and jammed it through the man's torso. He spluttered once before going limp. Removing his glaive, Lü Meng nodded as his men finished off the remaining enemies.

Elsewhere on land, Su Fei arrived with reinforcements. Almost immediately, the main army captured him and sent him away for execution at the capitol.

Gan Ning, his element of surprise gone, turned to the shore for the continuation of his fight. He saw the group of reinforcements and grinned. Catching Dong Xi''s eye, Gan Ning jerked his head to the enemy force. Xi nodded and continued fighting. The opportunity presented itself in the form of a departing boat. Gan Ning jumped off the half-burning ship and landed amongst Wu soldiers. "Hello, boys," he greeted, "Let's go have some more fun. The battle's starting to heat up!"

Once they reached land again, Gan Ning rushed into the outskirts of the fight, mowing down his ex-comrades left and right. His blade missed a speeding horse as it galloped away, passing nearly unnoticed by all other men. He immediately recognized Huang Zu's retreating steed. "You won't get away that easily," Gan Ning growled to himself. He stepped swiftly back and pulled out his bow. Reaching for his quiver, he spotted a nervous officer on a horse that was obviously picking up on his rider's anxiety. He grinned with some primordial satisfaction; he let the arrow find its mark. The officers stared at the arrow protruding from his shoulder before sliding off his horse and to the ground in a faint. The horse pranced and tossed its head before Gan Ning was able to grab the free reins. He ran his hand down the horse's neck in an attempt to somewhat calm it before jumping onto it, dug his boot heels into its side, and galloped after his former lord.

In his pursuit, Gan Ning became unconsciously aware of the world around him. He was at once hypersensitive and oblivious of everything. The heart beats radiating in his chest; the deep but even breaths he took; the foam developing on the commandeered horse's flanks; the river rushing alongside him; the pounding of hooves on packed, moist earth; the way the leaves rustled as he sped past them. Only one thing existed in the landscape around him. It was Huang Zu and his old horse. By now, the old beast would be wheezing from the effort of the sprint. Gan Ning's horse was also tiring, but the shorter distance gave him enough strength to get his rider close enough to bellow, "Huang Zu! You are mine!"

The older man stopped and looked behind him. Gan Ning pulled on the reins, and the horse stopped, leaving a good 30 yards between the two men. Huang Zu shouted, "I treated you so well in the past. Why do you press me so hard now?"

Nearly blinded by rage, Gan Ning replied, "I did good service for you, but no matter what I did, you still treated me like shit. Now, what is it you have to say?"

Huang Zu turned his horse to escape. Gan Ning foresaw this, poised to start pursuit once more as they argued. The chase still favored his stolen horse, but only just. As soon as Gan Ning began gaining ground, he heard shouts from behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Cheng Pu riding furiously. Certain that the younger, fitter horse could soon overtake him, Gan Ning quickly fitted an arrow to his bow and willed it to find its mark as he shot. It buried itself dangerously close to the horse's flank, just before its hind leg. The horse screamed and reared, throwing its rider to the ground. Wasting no time, Gan Ning immediately pulled up to the fallen general, leaping off his horse.

Scrambling to get to his feet, he looked fearfully upon his attacker. "Gan Ning, w—!"

Huang Zu's head rolled upon the ground, his mouth opened eternally in grovel.

Upon returning to the base, displaying Huang Zu's head on the end of a pike, the men of Wu rejoiced. Sun Quan displayed the head in a cage outside of his tent, where Sun Quan and Zhou Yu asked Gan Ning inside. He obliged and followed them.

The inside of the tent was decorated with plush silk pillows and flowers to perfume the air. They sat around a table, the two higher-ranking men seated opposite of the newer officer. Elite guard stood attentive outside, with a few actually behind Sun Quan. Both men smiled at each other, exchanging glances before turning back to the curious Ning. Finally, Sun Quan spoke.

"I am impressed with your accomplishments during this battle. You have provided us with worthy advice, and you slew my father's murder. I am grateful for you in my service." Gan Ning bowed respectfully before lifting his head and responding with a variation of the traditional response, adding his own touch to it.

"We sincerely mean this, Master Gan," insisted Zhou Yu.

"As do I," replied Gan Ning.

"Then, with your consent, we would like to promote you. Your talents could be better used in a more powerful position," responded Sun Quan, watching Gan NIng's reaction carefully, who bowed once more.

"Yes, my Lord, I would like that very much."

"It is settled. Once we return to the capital, you will be promoted officially," replied Sun Quan.

They rested at Xiakou for the night before returning to the Wu Capital. The country road was uncluttered until they entered the capital, when cheering crowds lined the streets. Gan Ning rode alongside Lü Meng for the majority of the march home. He fell behind him, joining Dong XI and Cheng Pu, when they entered Jian Ye.

"Wow, what a welcome," he remarked to his companions. They shrugged their shoulders.

"You'd be happy too if the bastard who killed one of your beloved lords was announced dead," replied Dong Xi, Cheng Pu nodding in agreement. Gan Ning shrugged and nodded to the crowd, waving to the occasional child.

Once they reached the palace, Sun Quan alerted the generals about the celebratory banquet scheduled for the following evening. They were advised to get some rest, and a nice, comfortable slumber indeed sounded heavenly after their time on the road. When everything was in order, the sun began to set and Gan Ning forsook dinner that evening to sleep.

While he dreamt in his room, the dining hall was busy with chatter as men readjusted to life not on the field. Sun Shang Xiang was eating gingerly, slowly consuming tiny piece of her food. She constantly looked around her, her eyes lingering on the doorway that led to sleeping quarters. She seemed a bit more alert than normal, but that was attributed to the noise that filled the previously quiet dining hall. She remained adamantly in that spot until every scrap of food and drink vanished from her plate. Moving to the practice yard, she stopped to talk quietly with Lü Meng.

"Is…," she began, but he cut her off.

"He is here, just not _here_. Probably in town with some of the other officers," replied Lü Meng. She nodded thankfully and headed to her destination.

She set up a practice dummy and began practicing hand attacks, varying from eye gouging to palm strikes to punches. She practiced relentlessly, adding the occasional kick and knee strike to her pummeling. After a solid hour and a half of work, she stretched. Putting away her mannequin, she ignored how hollow she felt. A heavy, lonely sight escaped her lips before she returned to her room.

Gan Ning toiled away on the practice field the next morning, working with his horse. He ignored the ache in his joints he often felt after restless nights and urged his gelding to leap swifter and more nimbly. His horse mostly destroyed the stacks of straw by clipping them with his hind legs or landing directly on top of them. Ning realized it was not the horse's fault, but his own. He would he expect his teed to focus when its rider's thoughts drifted undisciplined to a certain green-eyed woman. Gan Ning brought the horse to a halt, dismounting and leading him back to the stables to give him a well-deserved rub down.

Inside he worked mechanically, his mind wandering back to Sun Shang Xiang. He had longed to take her into his arms once again, kissing her breathless. He did not feel himself blush as he thought of how soft she felt against him, even as she shivered slightly from the cold rain they had escaped in the shelter of that tiny closet. Gan Ning patted the gelding's forelock and rubbed his muzzle. "You know what? She's like the silk I love to hold so much," he remarked, then laughed. "Who am I kidding? I'm probably just imagining things, boy." He left, leaving a fairly confused and tired horse behind.

The day passed without any meetings or sightings of Shang Xiang. A guard summoned him to Su Fei's cell in the dungeon. He followed the guard to his friend. "I thought you would forget me, so I sent for you," Su Fei explained.

"I would not have forgotten you, even if you said nothing." The general agreed to his friend's request and took action during his meeting with Sun Quan.

During his conference, he grew increasingly more depressed until Sun Quan asked, "Why do you act melancholy in the face of your promotion?"

"My lord, I act this way for I think of my friend, your prisoner. Long ago, if it had not been for Su Fei, my bones would have been rotting in a ditch somewhere. How then could I have offered my service under you? Now he deserves death, but I cannot forget his kindness to me. I would not mind if you take away the honors you propose to bestow on me to balance his freedom," replied Gan Ning, heartfelt.

Sun Quan nodded, "Since he has shown kindness to you, I will return the favor for your sake. But what will happen when he flees?"

"If you pardon him, you have allowed him to skirt death. He will be eternally grateful and indebted to you. His own standards will keep him here. Should I be mistaken in his character, I will offer my head in exchange," promised Gan Ning, his eyes locked on Sun Quan's. Moved to tears by his officer's loyalty and honest, the Southlands Emperor pardoned Su Fei and awarded Ning a small promotion than promised. Sun Quan and Gan Ning accompanied each other to the ceremonies, where only Huang Zu's head was offered as sacrifice.

Afterwards, Gan Ning made his way back to his quarters, relieved he and his friend would both serve Wu. He had a victory banquet to prepare for, and he wanted to look presentable. Gan Ning knew this was not because of his promotion, or because of his deed, or even because he liked the feel of silk.

After a relaxing bath, Gan Ning dressed himself slowly, almost over-thinking every motion. Lü Meng arrived just after sunset, his observant eyes taking in Gan Ning's attire. He snickered. "You look ridiculous."

"I know," he sighed. No matter which way he dressed, the fine clothes never seemed to suit him. "I feel ridiculous."

"Well, then you're set," replied Lü Meng with a grin. "Let's go."

"Maybe I should just wear something less...," began Gan Ning. Lü Meng cut him off.

"No. You must demonstrate your gratitude to Sun Quan, especially on Su Fei's behalf," insisted Lü Meng.

Gan Ning reluctantly followed Meng out of his room. "Why show my gratitude through clothing when actions will suffice? They're much more effective," he argued.

They stopped to let a group of startled messengers rush past. "What was the question?" asked Meng, absentmindedly. Gan Ning erupted in a fit of laughter

"Oh Gramps, your memory is fading! Perhaps I will be the one to make sure you are dressed appropriately!" chortled Gan Ning.

"I'll let that one slide," replied Lü Meng evenly.

"Really?"

Lü Meng knocked Gan Ning upside the head. "No."

The arrived in the banquet hall, quarreling. Taking their places at the head table, they waited for Sun Quan to enter. Tuning out Lü Meng's chatter, Gan Ning glanced over to Sun Shang Xiang's chair. To his dismay, he found it vacant. He frowned, concerned that she would not be attending. _Calm down, of course she'll be here. She's the sister of Sun Quan. She _has_ to be here,_ Gan Ning reassured himself. He watched the entrance out of the corner of his eye as he resumed listening to Meng.

She had not entered when the elite guard entered, the signal for Sun Quan's arrival and cue for all to stand. When the emperor entered, he belted a tigerskin to his usual robes. Arriving at his chair, he sat and began the pre-dinner speech by remarking on the home comforts which campaign life lacked. When he finished, the room drained their wine goblets and the feast began. Gan Ning ate with gusto, relishing in the delicious flavors that food on the road lacked. Over the course of the meal, he looked less and less at the door and more and more at his food, his drinking slowly increasing. He promised himself one last look before turning his attention to the wine before him for the rest of the night. Sighing, he looked up.

The doorway was empty, the doors slightly ajar. This yielded nothing for his peace of mind, just tempting shadows and deceitful motions of servants hurrying in the background of the whole scene. Shang Xiang simply wasn't there. He cast his eyes down and groped for his wine. She didn't care about the return. She didn't care that he beheaded Huang Zu. She didn't care about him helping his friend. She didn't care about his slight promotion. She didn't care that he returned virtually unscathed. She didn't _care_. Where had he gone wrong? What signs did he miss? The wine burned slightly down his throat as he emptied his goblet. He put it down with a mournful sigh, the sweet wine tasting bitter enough that he gave second thoughts to drowning his silly emotions in emotions. It was going to be a long night.

Hours later, he had long tired of the festivities. Aching to get away, he slipped away to the empty practice grounds. There he could at least be productive while trying to forget Sun Shang Xiang.

The nighttime air refreshed him, chasing away the lightheaded feeling the party left him. He was sober enough to know the morning's hangover would be slight to non-existent, yet inebriated enough that the filter between thoughts actions was gone. He was grateful nobody else decided to take the time to clear their head here. Gan Ning chuckled. The yard seemed so unfamiliar and awkward without anyone there. Striding confidently across the yard, he decided to work on his hand-to-hand combat with a practice dummy.

Upon reaching the shelter, something inside stirred. He opened the door, wondering what animal decided that would be a good place for a shelter. Gan Ning pushed the door open. He found himself face-to-face with the creature, which only looked up at him, startled. Smiling fondly, he picked up Leopard Cat kitten. It struggled to break free of his firmly gentle grip. "Hey, little buddy, what are you doing in here?" he asked, walking outside.

Closing the door behind him, he turned to look for a place to release the tiny kitten. He found Sun Shang Xiang instead. She stood quite a ways off, watching him. Wordlessly, he set the kitten down at his feet. It mewed once more at him before bounding awkwardly away, its paws still too large for the rest of its body. It stopped at Sun Shang Xiang's feet, mewing loudly with its tail like a flag. Inspecting them momentarily, it flicked its tail before looking up at her. She bent and picked it up, cooing at it maternally.

Gan Ning hardly noticed the cat's actions. His eyes were too busy absorbing Sun Shang Xiang. The sight of her made him break out into a smile, he was so happy to see her. He had longed to see her since before they left, and now she was standing before him. The silky hair, the expressive emerald eyes, the perfectly sculpted mouth, the lean build, and especially the way she cared for the kitten assaulted him, daring him to wrap his arms around her waist. For a fleeting moment he almost did.

But he had to remember that she didn't care for him. He knew that. She was so pure, so delicate, his own vestal princess who showed such kindness to him when he may not have deserved any from her. And that was exactly why he could never have her. He knew this. He knew it when he kissed her, when he snuck her out of the palace, when he talked with her his first night here. Even when they first met, he knew there was something untouchable about her. Gan Ning would be damned if that didn't make her all the more attractive to him, as if her kind and tomboyish personality wasn't enough already.

He knew it was the right thing to do. No matter how much he wanted to be with her, it was impossible. She was a princess, who would marry for the good of Wu. She didn't care about him. _How do you explain her kiss?_ a voice in his head asked. The answer was simple. He kissed her, and she was just too afraid to do anything but stand their and take his marauding kisses. Gan Ning knew his reasoning was flimsy, and that she was the one who initially instigated the whole business, but he would take any reason to give him the strength to walk away from her. He turned on his heel and walked mutely back to the palace.

Sun Shang Xiang held the kitten like a babe in her arms, her fingers tickling the young creature's stomach. It was so young, so adorable, so helpless. She decided to take it with her. The poor kitten probably lost its mother and the rest of its litter. Shang Xiang could even pretend it was a gift from Gan Ning, since he was the one who first had it. She snorted and stopped her affections to the kitten, which mewed once more in protest. It would do her no good to think such things. He did not care for her. He only viewed her as a princess, his lord's sister.

The sound of Gan Ning leaving startled her. She watched him go, restraining herself from running after him and launching herself into his arms. Waiting a few minutes after he left, she walked back into the castle and to her room.

Many people did not get a full night's sleep that night. It might have been from the howling wind, or a stomach ache, or even because of the presence of a bedtime companion. Only two were awake because their minds would not stop thinking about the other.

* * *

This took a while to get out, but it's a very long chapter. I kept writing and re-writing the ending, but then threw them all out and just went with this one instead :) Hooray for rough drafts! Thank you to all, especially to the wonderful people who review. You guys keep the story going, making it better and better. Thanks again!


	10. At Last

**_Silk Flags_**

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DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, except for my original character.

* * *

**Chapter Ten: At Last**

Recap:

Many people did not get a full night's sleep that night. It might have been from the howling wind, or a stomach ache, or even because of the presence of a bedtime companion. Only two were awake because their minds would not stop thinking about the other.

_Thunk-thunk-thunk_. It was dull, hollow. _Thunk-thunk-thunk_. Empty, a void. _Thunk-thunk-thunk_. What was it? _Thunk-thunk-thunk_. What ever it was, it was annoying as hell. Sun Shang Xiang opened her eyes blearily. She was exhausted, tossing most of the night. What sleep she did get was tormented by haunting dreams that made her feel guilty. She rolled onto her back, only to jump out of bed with a yelp.

Nestled in the blankets of her bed was a miniscule kitten, mewing indignantly at being rolled on.. She grinned and picked it up holding it eye-level. It yawned and stretched its paws, stretching tiny claws to their limits. _Thunk-thunk-thunk_. Oh yeah. That annoying knock. "Yes?" she called, brining the kitten to her bosom once it finished its stretch.

"Is my Lady ready for breakfast?" Lin Nuan asked through the door. Sun Shang Xiang sighed. She was hungry after skipping dinner yesterday, but she didn't want to face Gan Ning. It was too embarrassing. But could she really blame him?

The kitten gave a sharp squeal as she squeezed it a little tightly. Simling gently, she set it on her bed. "Sorry, little friend," she apologized. It regarded her with stormy grey-blue eyes before meandering around the sheets. She wondered about her servants' reactions to the unexpected feline guest. The wee Leopard Cat seemed to enjoy its new luxury. She lightly tossed a sheet over it. The kitten scrambled to escape as she hurriedly dressed herself. It popped triumphantly as she finished. She smiled at it and called for Lin Nuan. The maid entered with her eyes full of questions. They immediately ceased their silent prying when she noticed the prowling kitten.

"Why do you have a cat in your bed?" Lin Nuan asked incredulously.

"It's cute. It has no mother. I'm going to keep it," she told her attendant confidently.

"If you insist, but won't you reconsider, my Lady? Caring for another living creature takes a lot of time and energy out of a person. Your days are already tightly scheduled during this season. You may not have enough time for it," chided Nuan, already picking up the kitten. Shang Xiang shrugged. Lin Nuang frowned, walking out and mumbling about finding milk. Her grumbling stomach getting the better of her, Shang Xiang followed suit.

Not surprisingly, the route to her delicious breakfast was almost entirely vacant of officers. The majority of them were either sleeping or working privately elsewhere. Sun Shang Xiang felt confident a wine-loving officer like Gan Ning would be with the majority. She smiled, relieved, when she did not see him eating breakfast. Once she settled herself comfortably, food before her, she lost herself in her head, thoughts swirling and churning in a furious whirlwind while she ate. One by one, her friends came and went, some staying longer than others. She didn't really notice most of the time, unaware of people near and far from her.

Gan Ning watched from across the room as Sun Shang Xiang ate absentmindedly again. She had been acting like this for a while, maybe even weeks. He was curious to know what was occupying her mind, but mentally reprimanded himself. "No," he muttered aloud, dropping his chopsticks into his bowl with a sharp clatter. He shoved it away, angry with himself. Why was he getting so worked up over a woman? There were hundreds more, thousands even, that were available, able, and willing to be with him. He could have any he wanted; Gan Ning was certain. So what made some tomboy so special? Even though it was barely even midmorning, Gan Ning wanted a drink.

Briskly walking to the library to meet with Su Fei, Gan Ning wished he could just be alone. He was tired of people looking at him. Normally, he'd love the attention. Today, he only wanted to be left by himself to complete his drills. Alas, he had promised to help Su Fei in the library. Perhaps he could do something alone and still help.

Nearing the library, Gan Ning wondered if his old friend would be the same man he left more than half a year ago. If so, Su Fei would notice something troubling him. He always noticed when Gan Ning felt angry back under Huang Zu. What was nine months between times? He set his mouth in a tight line and entered the library.

It was the same unusual sight that intrigued Gan Ning when Lü Meng first took him. He had thought the library would be the usual line after line of scrolls and texts, just an orderly scholar's paradise. He didn't expect the works of art or the towering, ornate shelves. They seemed to loom over him by a good six inches or so. There were so many of them too, with tables and chairs sprinkled randomly amongst them. If he took a wrong turn in here after a party, Gan Ning was sure he would become immediately lost. _Then again_, a part of him reasoned, _you don't know half of what happens when you really drink. You could find your way out by making a way out._ He chuckled, knowing he probably would either sleep in the library or cut his way out.

"So when did you start laughing for no reason when you enter a room?" drawled Su Fei off to his right. Gan Ning grinned and greeted his friend. "How have you been?" asked Su Fei, finding and sitting in a chair. Gan Ning sat across from him and leaned back.

"Been better. But all the same, this is the best I've been. I don't know. How about you?" he replied, his fingers lightly brushing over the tips of his own hair. Su Fei studied him momentarily before replying.

"I feel like I owe you and our Lord my life and all I have to offer."

Gan Ning looked at him suspiciously. "That's way too damn gallant for the Su Fei I know," he responded tersely. Su Fei laughed and shrugged.

"You're way too mellow for the Gan Ning I know," countered Su Fei. When Gan Ning remained silent, Su Fei sighed. Sooner or later, Gan Ning knew Su Fei would confront him or figure it out. But, as Gan Ning and Sun Shang Xiang were apparently not speaking to each other, it might be more difficult. Or make it all the easier for him to decipher the tension between the two. Regardless, he was clueless to the exact situation at the moment. Thankful when Su Fei stood to begin searching for whatever cryptic text he came for, Gan Ning relaxed and set off to help.

They still had not found Su Fei's scroll when lunchtime stomach grumbles arrived. Gan Ning urged his friend to eat. He insisted that he himself would stay. Su Fei agreed and left to find his way out of the library. When Gan Ning was certain he was alone, he slumped back against the case behind him. Damn it all to hell, he was sick of everything. "What the fuck is wrong with me?" growled Gan Ning aloud. He slid to the ground, punching it as he crossed his legs at his ankles. He wanted to fight. His muscles ached for it. He knew the focus that filled his body when he fought was the only relief he could get from the beautiful demon that tortured him at all hours of the day. So close, barely in his reach, but she was on a whole different plane of existence than him. She had the good life. She could do as she pleased, fighting and arguing better than most men he knew. She cared for that tiny kitten he found in the practice shed like it was her own child. And she was stubborn as a mother too, especially when her temper got the better of her.

Resignedly, he stood and began leaving the library. He walked one row forward before he stopped. What he saw entranced him, although he knew it probably wasn't anything special.

It was a small painting he had never noticed before, if he had ever seen it at all. It depicted two pairs of trees at sunset, one on either side of the scroll. Each pair was connected to the other tree in the pair through loosely tangled branches. However, the tree closest to the sun in each pair had its roots stretched underground to each other. It was a thick web of roots, meshed from the two trees, a secret connection. It felt like a warning, but he knew it was just some artist's idea of a good day's work.

Dismissing his silly thoughts, he stalked off tog et his lunch. By the time he got to the imperial cafeteria, only a few people were left eating at the tables. Su Fei was not among them. Gan Ning contented himself with sitting isolated as he ate his meal. He was in such a bad mood he felt as though he ate without tasting any food or drink. As soon as he finished, he stood abruptly to go back to the library for Su Fie. Where the man had gotten to, Gan Ning hardly knew. He would certainly turn up by dinner.

The library was as hushed as ever, with only a few people lingering about the entrance. He acknowledged them politely before searching for his place amongst the scrolls again. Gan Ning grumbled as he settled himself back into his hunt. How was he to know if Su Fei hadn't found the damned thing already? Gan Ning figured he might as well keep going. He considered himself one to always finish what he started, be it a successful or failing end. _Except for Shang. You just gave up on her,_ the nasty, brutally honest portion of his mind sneered. He ignored the thought and worked to bock her from his mind, albeit he knew it was useless. She was everywhere and nowhere to him. He'd fought it, and eventually was able to get into a sort of trance, where only he and the scrolls registered in his conscious. Once he felt certain the scroll had already been removed from the shelf or was otherwise unavailable, Gan Ning relaxed. Besides, it was almost time for dinner. His stomach was already objecting to its lack of food.

Gan Ning stretched before he wound his way out of the library. He wondered absentmindedly what would be served at dinner as he rubbed his dry eyes. He passed two people talking in a row and continued on, thinking nothing of it until he realized that they were using his name forcefully. Curious, he retraced his steps back to the row where the voices originated. He stayed at the end of the shelf, out of sight. The voices were feminine.

"—abandoned you!" an older voiced insisted in a forceful whisper. The voice was vaguely familiar, seemed to be accustomed to speaking in such a manner.

"Yes he has! And I have too!" another argued. This one was young, melodic, and he recognized immediately to whom it belonged. It was a guilty pleasure to listen to her. Gan Ning knew he should not love her voice, but it was too hard not to be enthralled by it. _Oh, fuck me_, he thought, immediately wincing at his choice of words. Gritting his teeth, he returned to the conversation.

"Why? You can learn from each other! He's a friend for you, my lady," the other woman insisted. It might have been Lin Nuan, but it truly could have been any of Sun Shang Xiang's hand maidens.

"He doesn't feel the same way. He was only being nice because Quan must have told him to or something. He really only tolerated me because of my brother. But I don't need his ordered pity. I mean, who does Quan think he is? Ordering his men to make nice with his little sister to keep me off his back? Besides, Gan Ning would have said something to me by now if he was acting freely. He's had chances before. He obviously doesn't care, so I don't either!" culminated Shang Xiang, out of breath from anger, frustration, and on the verge of tears (if the tremble in her voice was any indication of such an event). Gan Ning wasn't sure what he felt upon hearing this. It was more like his emotions exploded into one mass sentiment of blah. Before he could be further affected by the conversation, he left the library immediately.

As he stepped into the hall, he sighed. Despite what he just heard, his feelings for Shang, whatever they may be, were changed more than he cared to speculate. Unbeknownst to Gan Ning, Lin Nuan asked her mistress impatiently, "Do you still love him like you did that evening before Xiakou?" Realizing what she did, she immediately fell to her knees and asked forgiveness for her impetuous question. Sun Shang Xiang regained composure and calmed her panicking handmaiden.

"No," she finally answered, "I don't feel the same as the first time I saw him." Lin Nuan laid a finger on her own lips.

"That's all that matters. Now we must go, we have a meeting with his Eminence. Unless you'd rather feign sickness again."

Sun Shang Xiang made a face. "He'll know if I'm faking. Let's go." They strode alongside each other as they left the library, earning Lin Nuan dirty looks from other servants. Even as the handmaiden closest to the princess, other servants still sneered discreetly at the blatant disregard for the natural order. The idea of servants walking alongside royalty was preposterous, rude even. Those who didn't comply with the custom were thought to disregard all other traditions and frowned upon. Lin Nuan was used to such treatment. Her lady was another story. She seemed to be at ease, but to those who knew her, they could see she was still uncomfortable with the scorn. Lin Nuan glanced at her lady. With knowing eyees, she wondered what thoughts were flying a mile a minute behind the wide evergreen eyes.

For the coming weeks, Sun Shang Xiang replayed her conversation with Lin Nuan over and over in her head. It was still another month later when she awoke during the middle of a late night thunderstorm. Breathing heavily, she ran her hand through her hair, ruffling it a bit. She did not like Gan Ning the way she did when she first met him. It wasn't anything substantial then, really a simple fascination with an attractive, mysterious stranger who made her smile. She had once thought he was so quirky to be carrying those bells. Now, it will have been almost a year since that day. And she didn't find him strange at all.

"He's a stupid son of a bitch," she murmured to herself, "I don't give a damn about that dumb fuck." But as she rolled back over, the tears that trickled form her eyes contradicted her. She buried her face into her pillow, swallowing her sadness as she took deep breaths to calm herself down. Repeating forcefully to herself, "I don't care," she attempted to whisper herself to sleep.

It was useless, however. She reluctantly sighed and hoped a stroll would give her peace of mind. Quietly sneaking to make sure she didn't wake any of her servants, she turned to close the door to find her cat following her curiously. After failed attempts to get it to stop, Shang Xiang conceded and let it follow her. At least she would not be the only one awake tonight.

Gan Ning lay awake that night, listening to the pitter-patter of rain outside. Low grumbles of thunder in the distance sprinkled variety in the otherwise mundane noise. He had to admit to himself that rain reflected his own mood. Sometimes it sounded joyful and full of life, or grief and death. Lately, everything seemed the same to him. His routine became habit, a mindless activity where the only feeling he showed was during spars with fellow officers. Not even liquor could elicit a response from him. He would sit and drink quietly until someone else realized exactly how much alcohol he had consumed and would cut him off. That someone was usually Su Fei. He had even attempted to snap Gan Ning out of his trance.

"Something is seriously wrong," he had remarked as they traversed the halls. "You have been hiding something from me. I have given you opportunities yet you still refuse to speak of whatever is troubling you. So, you tell me. You know I can always help you. You've saved my life." Gan Ning stopped walking and stared blankly at Su Fei, who turned expectantly back at him. "Well?"

"You feel you owe me, correct?" asked Ning warily. Su Fei nodded. "Then consider your debt paid if you promise me to stop asking questions where it does not concern you."

He laughed. "Gan Ning, what is this? You are my concern."

"No, I am my own concern. All you should be concerned about is your own skin. People here are like a family. It seems like they enjoy you, but it will take them much time for them to trust you. And they still will not trust you completely. So just watch yourself and let me worry about me," snapped Gan Ning angrily. Su Fe's mouth tightened into a straight line.

"Well, aren't you one to talk."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Su Fei smirked, "You know exactly what it means. You've only been a part of Wu for about a year now. You're still fresh blood compared to some others. So when you've actually become fully immersed, then feel free to chew the shit out of me. Until then? You just shut the fuck up. We're in the same—"

"Oh, so you know what it's been like for me? You've walked a thousand hours in my boots?" interrupted Gan Ning hotly.

"If not for me you wouldn't _have_ those boots to walk in, asshole," shot back Su Fei. "From the moment you took up my offer concerning your new life here, it's all been because of me." Gan Ning fell silent, but the anger that still burned in his face spoke loud enough for him. Su Fei almost took this chance to drive his point home but changed his mind. "Come talk to me when you've stopped acting like a woman during her phase." Su Fei stalked away, leaving a fuming and disappointed Gan Ning in his wake.

"I was not acting like a woman," grumbled Gan Ning, reflecting on the memory, "but because of a woman." He chuckled, closing his eyes. He was immediately met with the sight of her holding that kitten to her bosom the night they…he found it. He knew he shouldn't think of her so much, and he had been telling himself this ever since he realized the fact. Tossing aside his covers, he relented to a nighttime walk around the palace to ease his thoughts.

The halls were dark, quiet, almost as though time had been paused in the rare moment where nobody was around. His frustration, with nothing to be directed at, welled up and engulfed him. Gan Ning felt the oh-so-familiar ache and snarled, balling his fists and quickening his pace. His feet led him to no particular area. He could only hope he could find his way back. Every turn led him down a hallway that looked just like the next. He stopped himself and turned around, now even more frustrated that the walk did nothing but aggravate him further.

There. Out of the corner of his eye, Gan Ning saw it. A tiny blur was running down a hallway. Curious, he followed it, watching it come to a hallway and sneaking into a door at the end of it. Gan Ning took a step, but froze when he understood where he was. It was _that_ hallway. Chuckling at the irony, he guessed the door lead to _that_ room, the one where he became the luckiest man in the world. Or perhaps the most tormented?

"Why'd the kitten go back there? That's just the closet," he remarked, striding to the door. "Come on out, little friend, there's nothing there for—"

It trembled when he opened the door, dim light from the wall torches casting shadows across its distinct features. Its eyes, full of fear, widened as a throaty noise brushed past its lips, the only sound apart from their breathing. The kitten meowed and yawned, looking up at its master. Gan Ning's jaw went slack.

"What are you doing here? Why are you hiding?" he asked in an incredulous whisper. She blushed and looked away.

"You," she replied, her voice trembling. She swallowed and squared her shoulders, her gaze turned coolly upon him. "Please get out of my way and let me go." Gan Ning didn't budge, standing with a faint smile across his face. "Well? Why are you smiling?" He wanted to tell her, instead choosing to remain silent. Her voice was still the most beautiful thing he had ever heard, breaking the monotony of his world. "Are you even listening to me?"

He nodded and stepped aside. She knelt to pick up the kitten but remained on the floor. The cat pushed its paws against her knees. Eliciting no response, it walked to Gan Ning, nudging his boots and looking at Sun Shang Xiang. Gan Ning glanced at her and knelt, finding the kitten to have more sense than he gave animals credit. He reached to her, but she shrank away. "No! What are you doing? It's because of you!" she insisted, curling further into a ball and away from him with each attempt. "Tell Quan I don't need you! Who does he think he is? Does he think I can't make friends on my own? Of all of his officers, he forces you. _You!_ Damn it!" She punched the wall that she pressed herself against.

"Shang...," he attempted to interject. She continued babbling nervously, however.

"Why? It's not fair. I can't sleep, I can't focus, I can't to anything anymore. Shit, it's all your fault, too. Why'd you have to be so nice to me and make me laugh and be so handsome and talented and..."

"Shang Xiang."

"...you can walk around and be my brother's officer. You shouldn't be here now. So why are you? Does Quan really think so low of me as to assign someone to be his baby sister's fucking caretaker? Well here's a message for you, Master Babysitter, you're not good at your fucking job. Where were you these past months, jackass? Widdle Shangie Xiangie lost her—"

"SUN SHANG XIANG!" Gan Ning growled.

She glared at him. "What?" she snarled.

He studied her. Her hair was messy, held loosely by a headband. Her brow was furrowed, her emerald eyes blazing with the pent-up rage going back months. Her cheeks were flushed with the raw emotion, her breathing heavy and ragged. Shang's lips were as perfect as ever, opened slightly in a sneer. Gan Ning couldn't help himself from speaking. "Quan never told me to go with you. He never told me to do anything I've ever done for you. It's all been me," he told her gently.

Her eyes softened. "What?"

"Is it so hard to believe trash like me would have the guts to..," Gan Ning paused, debating on telling her the whole truth. He decided a small lie to protect her would be okay, "like being your friend?" He winced as he spoke the biggest understatement in his life.

"Oh. As a friend then?" she asked quietly. He remained silent. She tensed. "You only want to be friends? How do you explain the kiss then? Given you remember anyway."

"How do you explain calling me handsome?" he challenged, gleeful that was one of the words he caught in her nervous chatter.

She blushed. "I did what now?" she asked meekly.

Gan Ning chuckled. "Given you remember." She shoved him playfully. "So, then do you mind if I..."

"If you what?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. He smiled as his hands found hers. Leaning in close, he chuckled nervously. She smiled and their lips met once again in the small room.

Sun Shang Xiang let go of his hands after the tender kisses disappeared. Soon, she found herself sliding her hands up his strong, bare arms to anchor around his neck. Oh, he was so warm, so masculine, so much better than she remembered. His hands! Resting on her shoulder blades, they overrode her sense of touch, melting her with their heat and filling her body with a sense of electricity. Or perhaps it was her imagination. Or just a side effect of his mouth. So strong and assertive, she involuntarily sighed as he kissed her.

What was that? He slid his tough across her bottom lip, asking permission. And how could she refuse? The simple request sent her sighing again. He took advantage of the moment and nudged the gap gently wider so he might kiss her deeply.

He was so enticing, caressing her mouth warmly. At first she was too shocked at the realization of what was happening. Like he used to, he eased her into trying something new. He coaxed her into responding. She began exploring his mouth as they began shifting. Gan Ning relaxed with his back against the wall, knees bent so as to form a backrest for Shang Xiang. She sat close to his hips, cupping his face in her hands as she continued kissing him. His hands slid lower and lower, following her body's shape until he was holding her hips.

Gently, he broke the kiss to begin trailing kisses along her cheek, following her jawline. Kissing the spot below the angle of her jawbone, Gan Ning smiled against her skin. "Sun Shang Xiang?" he asked, moving away from her to look her in the eye.

"What? Am I doing something wrong?" she asked worriedly. He chuckled.

"No. I just think if we keep doing this, that cat is going to go insane," Gan Ning told her, pointing at the cat. It was pacing back and forth, slipping in and out of the room almost nervously. Sun Shang Xiang sighed, the feline meowing in response.

The kitten made sure to stay between the two, almost as a chaperone. The walk back was comfortably silent, and Gan Ning and Sun Shang Xiang were both slightly flushed. When they finally had to part ways, he mumbled a goodnight and began trudging off to his bed. "Oh, no you don't," she told him, pulling him back and kissing him properly.

He smiled. "Now it's goodnight."

"Yeah. Rain's stopped though so…," she yawned. "Until tomorrow, then." Gan Ning nodded and she left.

That night, Gan Ning fell asleep with a smile for the first time in years.

* * *

It took way to long to get this out! I've been busy. Ah, so much for a relaxing summer! Thanks for reading!


	11. Renxian

**_Silk Flags_**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, except for my original character.

* * *

**Chapter ****#11: Renxian**

Recap:

"Yeah. Rain's stopped though so…," she yawned. "Until tomorrow, then." Gan Ning nodded and she left.

That night, Gan Ning fell asleep with a smile for the first time in years.

He hit the ground rolling, making a speedy recovery. As the dust he kicked up cleared, Gan Ning circled his assailant. Their torso gave away his next attack. Gan Ning smirked and easily dodged, catching their wrist and twisting their arm behind their back in a smooth move. "Blew it," he remarked, letting his friend go.

"What'd I do this time?" asked Lü Meng, loosening and stretching his arm.

"You let your stomach give your motion away. Getting sloppy now, are we gramps?" teased Gan Ning.

Lü Meng glanced at his friend casually out of the corner of his eye. Gan Ning was visibly gloating. Swiftly crouching, he swept Gan Ning's feet out from beneath him with a dexterous kick. "It doesn't look like it. And stop calling me gramps. I'm not that much older than you."

Gan Ning rolled his eyes on the ground. "Hey have you seen Su Fei? He should be out here training too," he remarked accepting Lü Meng's hand to help him up.

Lü Meng shrugged noncommittally. "Honestly, he could be anywhere. He's mainly been holed up in the library looking for some naval stratagem or other. I should probably be helping him, but teaching you a lesson out in the fresh air was way too good to resist."

Gan Ning scowled, his back stiffening indignantly. "But I won."

"Says the boy who was flipped to the ground last," Lü Meng retorted smugly. Gan Ning grumbled incoherently to himself as his companion chortled in victory. "Come on, let's get ready. Our Lord will throw a tantrum if we show up like a couple of sweaty boars."

They walked in together, even looking forward to another banquet that evening. Gan Ning lost track of what it was for exactly. In his opinion, the past months had been filled with too many frivolous banquets and celebrations. Not that he minded much, however. These heavily-attended events garnered enough cover for him to slip away unnoticed for a short, chaste rendezvous with her.

Sun Shang Xiang mesmerized him entirely. Normally, he would enrapture a woman, be she prostitute or otherwise, and be done with her after a week-long affair at the most. Shang Xiang was much different.

Gan Ning spent his time getting ready thinking about her. What was it that made him insane enough to pursue her in secret? He was convinced it was the furtive, coy looks from afar she reserved only for him during any extending public meetings. Yes, that always made the dull business so much more enjoyable. Or perhaps it was the fiery, stubborn determination so innocently showcased on her face when they sparred together with wooden weapons. She was ever ridiculously endearing when a ferocious warrior. Even still, it was the stray brush of her fingertips during an easy hand-to-hand combat session. Her hand would reach to his face and caress it, if only for a second before resuming its aggressive motion fluidly. From that second on, he was in pure, unadulterated, complete, and utter bliss. It was hard for him to concentrate when someone like her was gently breaking a sweat, panting lightly, all the while her cheeks reddening with physical effort.

Gan Ning decided it was a bad idea to continue his train of thought. He was about to go bathe, after all.

That evening, they snuck from the banquet and strolled close to the banks of the Jiang Dong, remaining on palace grounds. Sitting atop a hill and watching the water, they were obscured by a group of trees and bushes from prying palace eyes. From afar, they seemed like just another couple taking a break from the festivities.

She sat against a tree, facing the water with her legs stretched before her. Gan Ning rested with his head in her lap, his eyes trained on the water. She smiled and began playing with his spiky locks. It was a soft moment, with waves gently washing over the banks a few yards away. "Shang?" asked Gan Ning softly, as though he would shatter their surroundings if he spoke too loudly.

"Hmm?" she murmured, ceasing her playing.

"Hold out your hand and close your eyes," he bid her gently.

"Why? What do you have up your sleeve?" she asked him quietly, a note of curiosity weaving throughout her words.

"Please?" he asked, his intense hazel eyes boring into her emerald ones. "It's a surprise for you." She regarded him with a cautious look, before grinning and obliging him. She felt his weight shift and his clothing rustle. His warm fingers brushed her palms as he placed something cool and metallic in her hands. "Okay, open them."

In her hands were gold earrings, studded with emeralds and rubies. "Gan Ning," she breathed, staring with wide green eyes at the gift in the palms of her hands. "How did you…?"

"It's a present for you. I know you have much nicer jewelry, but I wanted to give you something you can keep with you to remind you of me, I guess," he told her as she immediately fitted them to her ears. They hung about an inch or so, a small, glimmering token of his affection for her. She beamed.

"Oh, Gan Ning, they're perfect."

He hoped she would say that. "You're perfect."

She giggled and blushed. "No, I'm not. I don't have anything for you."

Gan Ning sat up and looked at her. "That's fine," he told her, scooting closer to her and putting an arm around her shoulder. He pulled her close to him, close enough that the deliciously clean scent of her skin wafted easily to his nose. He breathed in deep, never able to get enough of her.

"No it isn't. I want to give you something too," she insisted, pulling away from him.

"Why? Just because I give you a gift, it doesn't mean you have to give me one too. Don't worry about it," he soothed, already missing her warm curves against him.

Her face, so happy only moments before, twisted into a scowl. "You always do this to me," she told him crossly.

"Do what? You're going to have to be more specific, Shang Xiang," he huffed.

She stood and crossed her arms. "You know, the 'Don't worry about it'. 'Just relax.' 'I'll do it.' 'Stop fretting.' It's so frustrating!" she told him, tone hard and icy. "You treat me like I'll shatter sometimes."

Gan Ning got to his feet. "Well, I didn't realize you were offended by my attempts to be your gallant admirer. This'll be the last time I do anything nice for you," he spat.

She laughed hollowly. "Oh, yes. Please. Pour on the dramatics."

Gan Ning ignored her comment. "I give you a surprise and then you start yelling at me for it!" he hissed. "What do you expect?"

"You've got a lot of nerve to say that to me," she warned.

"What do you expect?" he challenged again, drawing himself up to full height and taking a step to her.

"I expect you to treat me like a human being. Not some doll like everyone else. I'm not defenseless!" Shang Xiang snarled. She stood up and threw her shoulders back, straightened her stance and puffed her chest forward. It didn't do much in the way of counter-intimidation. He still loomed over her, unconsciously throwing his masculinity in her face. _Argue now; dream later_, she reminded herself mentally, after her eyes flicked down to his torso. His brocade vest and silk shirt fit him well, covering the tanned and tattooed skin she adored. The hand that, only moments ago, held her strong and close to that muscled chest, was currently running through his hair in an agitated fashion.

"How should I know how to treat you? I've never done this before!" he growled before he could stop himself from saying it.

"Liar!" she snapped.

He grabbed her shoulders and looked directly at her eyes. "No! I've never done anything like this!" he insisted. Sighing in frustration, he made an attempt to clarify his statement, not entirely sure what he could call the relationship they shared, "I've never had this." He gestured vaguely between them in an attempt to clarify his point.

Looking into his eyes, he seemed to be asking her, begging her to believe him. She almost could. Almost. "How dare you lie to me," she spat. "You looked me right in the eyes and lied. I may not be a part of that male camaraderie you have in there, but you all are so loud when you've had too much alcohol. I've heard you raving about your adventures where women are concerned."

"What?" he asked, voice faltering. "I thought we settled that particular topic during our last fight!"

She glared at him and pushed herself away from him. "No, Gan Ning, we didn't," she told him, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away from him. "You just kissed me so I couldn't argue back."

He grinned. "I didn't think you minded me kissing you," he teased, tilting her head back up to catch his gaze. "Did you mind, Princess?"

She snarled at him, "Don't call me 'princess' when we're arguing. And stop grinning. Do you like making me angry with you?"

"Only when it gets me kisses from you," he smirked, delighting in the fact she didn't pull away.

"Oh, you are such a pig," she informed him, blushing and swatting at his hand.

"But I'm your pig?" he offered, spreading his arms and waiting for her reply. She looked at him reproachfully. He cocked his head and an eyebrow. "Please?"

Sun Shang Xiang wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. "Yes," she murmured, lips teasing his skin. "But you're still a pig." He wrapped his arms around her and relished in her embrace.

"As long as I'm yours, I don't care what I am," he breathed, so quiet he could barely hear. Sun Shang Xiang made no motion that she heard.

After a moment, Shang Xiang pulled away. "I think it's time we head back," she told him softly, "They'll be wondering where we are by now, I'll bet."

Gan Ning nodded. "Good idea, princess," he told her as they began sneaking back to the palace.

She punched him playfully on his arm. "Don't call me princess," she mumbled.

Back at the feast, Su Fei was laughing at something Huang Gai had finished saying when Lü Meng rushed over, a worried look on his face. "May I speak to you privately?" he asked. Su Fei nodded and toasted the other officers before he left.

The two men walked outside the room, giving a wide berth to Zhou Yu and his wife. There was a circle where nobody stood or sat, leaving the two more or less in the center. Lady Qiao was complaining to him about one thing or another. Su Fei and Lü Meng vaguely heard something about Zhou Yu devoting too much of his time to the library before escaping out of earshot.

"What was it you needed to speak to me privately about? Why do you look so upset?" asked Su Fei casually, sipping more wine from his goblet.

"I can't find Gan Ning anywhere," Lü Meng informed him.

He laughed. "I'll bet he's off somewhere, up to no good no doubt," replied Su Fei. "Do you need to talk to him?"

Lü Meng ignored the question, elaborating, "The princess is missing as well."

Su Fei shrugged. "Is there a connection there?"

Lü Meng hesitated long enough for Su Fei to determine his friend's opinion. "You can't seriously think Gan Ning would be so stupid as to drag Lady Shang Xiang off to some secluded spot to have his drunken way with her?" he asked incredulously. "I mean, he thinks with his loins sometimes, but the _princess_? I don't think he has a death wish!"

Lü Meng pursed his lips. "What if he does?" he asked tersely. "What if he is off with her? I don't think Sun Quan would be too pleased to find out one of his officers dragged his younger sister off for some wine-induced encounter!"

Su Fei let out an exasperated sigh. "But we don't know they're even together! What if Lady Shang Xiang has retired for the evening? What if Gan Ning is drinking somewhere else? We have no proof until we find the two!"

"But…," began Lü Meng.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," continued Su Fei, barreling past Lü Meng's interruption. "If we find them, will you be at ease?" Lü Meng sighed and nodded. "Good. Let's get started. We'll just go from one end of the banquet to the other, checking every nook and cranny, asking servants and others if they've seen either one."

"Wait! That would be too obvious. Let's just ask for Gan Ning. It's a little less conspicuous," suggested Lü Meng. Su Fei nodded and they returned to the hall, eyes alert and scanning the crowds as they searched for their friend.

After searching individually, they returned to the corridor where they first discussed the whereabouts of their friends. Gan Ning was walking toward them.

"Gan Ning! Where have you been?" Lü Meng asked. Su Fei regarded the third man with an analyzing, calculating look.

"I heard you were looking for me," countered Gan Ning. "What is it you wanted?"

Lü Meng frowned. "Well…," his voice abating. "We have some interesting news for you."

Gan Ning crossed his arms, waiting. "What is it?"

Su Fei exchanged glances with Lü Meng, not quite sure where Meng was going. "Ling Tong has returned from border duty. Rumor has it he still wants your head to offer to his father's grave," informed Lü Meng

"Still?" Gan Ning asked incredulously. "Damn. The kid's tenacious, I'll give him that."

"Tenacious or not, you best watch yourself," warned Su Fei. "He means business."

Gan Ning waved his hand carelessly, as though the threat was a cobweb hanging limply before him. "I'm sure he does. I don't mean to be dying anytime soon, so I wish him the best of luck. Besides, how long can he keep this grudge going? How many fathers has he killed under this banner?"

Su Fei and Lü Meng looked at each other uncomfortably. Lü Meng replied hesitantly, "I'm not sure that's quite the point you should seek to make when you two finally, ah, settle your differences. He has taken it upon himself as a personal vendetta."

Gan Ning yawned mid-chuckle. He stretched and smiled at his two friends. "I think it's about time I take it upon myself to retire for the evening. If you will excuse me, then," he began walking to sleep before bidding them to have a good night. They nodded and exchanged glances once Gan Ning's back was turned.

While they informed Gan Ning of the recent arrival, neither one discovered anything about his prior whereabouts.

Sun Shang Xiang was waiting for him in the hallway to return to their respective bedchambers. He winked playfully and she blushed. Walking closely together, she asked quietly, "What did they want?"

"Ling Tong is back," he told her, yawning and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, bringing her close. "That's all."

She looked at him skeptically. "That's all? He doesn't hate you still?"

Gan Ning shrugged and checked around them. "Yeah, I guess. If he decides to confront me again, I figure I'll just try to talk some sense into him. He's been away for a while. That's got to have cooled him off a bit, right?"

Sun Shang Xiang glanced quickly around them before tugging him gently to a stop, pulling him to face her by grabbing the cloth on his chest. "Be careful, okay? I don't know what I would do if you got hurt over this," she told him quietly. "If he came at you like the first day…." Her voice trailed off. "Please, don't say or do anything rash where Ling Tong is concerned. For my sake." She looked up at him, concerned.

He stared back. "Okay," he breathed, voice husky, "But for your sake." He reached to her, cradling and turning her head to kiss her.

She pulled back slightly, giggling. "But what if someone sees?" she asked, blushing.

"I'll make it quick, I promise," he assured.

Sun Shang Xiang rolled her eyes. "Okay, but no kiss later," she told him. He chuckled and leaned to her, pleased that she moved to meet his lips.

The kiss, meant to be sweet and short, soon became charged with emotion as Sun Shang Xiang pulled him closer to her, her hands buried in the fabric of his clothing. Before she could stop herself, she was pressing her hands to his chest, feeling the rigid muscles beneath. He began backing up, pulling her with him, or was she pushing him against the wall? Shang Xiang couldn't tell who was leading who anymore. When his hands let go of her head, shifting to her waist, she pulled her head away.

Gan Ning opened his eyes to find her flushed and her green eyes hazy. His earrings in her ears caught the light as she shook her head, grinning. "What happened to quick?" she asked, crossing her arms.

He laughed. "I could ask you the same question," he told her, grinning from ear to ear. He dropped his hands from her waist back to his sides.

She punched him on the arm and started walking back to her room, bringing herself up to full height once again. She threw her shoulders back and her chest foreword again as she announced, "Good night, you pig."

He grinned and chased after her, his catlike form behind her in only a few steps. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. He corrected her softly, "I'm your pig, remember?" His warm breath teased past her cheek. Shang Xiang only sighed and wrapped her arms around his. "Hmm?" he hummed into her neck, dotting kisses on the creamy expanse of neck she exposed to him. He could feel the heat rushing to her face.

Oh, goodness. Here they were, out in the open, for anyone with eyes and ears to notice. While the circular room between the two hallways leading to the bedchambers was currently occupied by only the two of them, Gan Ning was certain someone would stumble in at any moment. As terrifying as the prospect was, it made his heart pound to no end. And her throaty whimpers were invoking a not-so-surprising reaction from him too. He struggled to contain himself.

She turned in his embrace, locking eyes with him. Her skin was rosy, eyes hazy, biting her lower lip. "Gan Ning," she paused, not quite sure what to say, blinking. "I…," her voice trembled.

He was too afraid to hear what she was about to say next, so he cut her off hurriedly. "I agree. We do need to rest," he told her, smiling weakly. Neither of them moved.

She put her hands back on his chest, looking down at them. "Rest," her voice sounded far-off, detached almost, as though it was coming from an echo in the room. The silence that followed was oppressing. It matched the silly fluttering in her stomach and the pounding of her chest.

Shang Xiang wanted to speak. She wanted to tell him so dearly. _I do not wish to rest tonight_. They were caught, jumbled in her throat. Instead, they became something different entirely. "Goodnight then, Gan Ning."

"Goodnight, Sun Shang Xiang." They released each other and he watched her leave, keeping his hazel eyes trained longingly on her until he could no longer see her. He sighed and began walking back to his bedchambers. It was going to be a long night.

After attending to certain things, he tried to convince himself he was doing the right thing as he lay himself down to sleep. He could not go down that certain path with her, no matter how much either of them wanted it. What if she became promised to some other man? She probably would be. He imagined what her future husband would be like. He would probably be much older than her, with some sort of claim to power. He would have wives and mistresses abound. The pompous bastard probably would not even care to love her the way she deserved. Gan Ning growled with jealousy, his face drawn into a sneer.

He then began to consider what would happen if he did bed her and she was swept away from him to the lucky man. On the wedding night, her husband would doubtless discover his virgin wife was not as innocent as he supposed. He shuddered at the thought of her being ridiculed and sent away like some common whore.

And what of him? He would be executed, no doubt, once it was discovered that he was the one who first took her. The execution would occur after being tortured, of course, so that his spirit may never forget his deed, to feel his offense with every punishment. He would deserve every one, but regret the act? Gan Ning almost laughed out loud. He loved her enough to never regret anything with her.

The thought scared him before he recoiled into anger. How dare he? Love? No. He was not quite sure what this was, but love? Love was not meant to happen for him. He had too much blood on his hands, too many lives taken by his blade. There was no place in this world or the next where he deserved to love and be loved by her.

Tossing and turning, he sighed. Yes, it was definitely going to be a long night.

Sun Shang Xiang entered her room to find Lin Nuan and her other handmaidens waiting for her. Her handmaidens stood as she entered the room. Lin Nuan looked worried and furious at the same time.

"We have been worried about you! We lost sight of where you were. Has anyone hurt you? Are you alright?" she asked worriedly. "You're flushed, do you feel well?"

Sun Shang Xiang pressed a hand to her own face, "I am fine. I simply need to rest."

Lin Nuan frowned but did not challenge her. Despite Lin Nuan's silence, Sun Shang Xiang realized her handmaiden had her own theories as to where she ran off to this night.

Once Sun Shang Xiang was ready to sleep, she dismissed her other handmaidens except for Lin Nuan. "Yes, my lady?" the older woman asked.

Sun Shang Xiang looked out her window before turning to face Lin Nuan, arms crossed. "I know you have your ideas. Doubtless, the others are gossiping amongst themselves. I would rather do away with outlandish rumors. What are they saying?"

Lin Nuan shifted her gaze away from Sun Shang Xiang. "Some think you ran off to the city. Some think you went off for a ride on the grounds."

Sun Shang Xiang laughed. She asked with a sardonic smile, "Ride what? I doubt it's a horse, the way they talk." Lin Nuan chuckled. "What do you think?"

The handmaiden paused, collecting her thoughts. "I think you should be careful." Sun Shang Xiang bit her lip before turning to her bed.

"Goodnight Lin Nuan," she replied quietly. Lin Nuan bowed and left the room, her mistress alone with her own feelings. Shang Xiang watched her go.

Certain the door was closed tight; she turned back to the window, looking out again. It seemed so peaceful compared to the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her body. She was not quite sure what to make of her predicament.

It was her fault of course, she thought. Walking back to her bed, she sat down and hugged her knees to her chest. How naïve she was to feel this way about him.

She drew herself in tighter, scowling at herself. "You will never get anywhere thinking like that," she scolded her knees. "Honestly, who has not been seduced in some way by him? If anyone is at fault, it is _him_."

Of course it was he who was the one causing all this distress. Before him, her life was just fine. The dramatics were significantly less draining, of course. Significantly less…about her. Significantly less . Significantly less whirlwinds like the ones that had taken to plaguing her as of late. Fear and joy. Confusion and adoration. Hate and love.

Love? Feh. She was getting ahead of herself…right? Sun Shang Xiang convinced herself she never felt hate or love for him. Hate implied severe bodily harm. And love…well…she reasoned she was too young and inexperienced to know love. He just confused her, that's it.

How could one person do this to her? Gan Ning was only one man, after all. He had her feeling anxious and excited at the same time and she couldn't figure out why.

He was ridiculously frustrating at times, too. Sometimes she wanted to punch him or something. Just clock him right as he smirked smugly when he sparred with her. Did he like to see her so angry? Sun Shang Xiang balled her fists at the memory of his grinning face above her after he tripped her today. Does he do that at the enemy when he knocks them down too? If he just stood there admiring his handiwork, it's a wonder he hasn't been cut down before. She shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

Her mind jumped into cycling of its own will through her memory of his expressions. She tried to stop herself, but Sun Shang Xiang wasn't sure if she wanted to do that quite yet. She loved his endearing smile when he surprised her with an extra sweet bun or something small like that during a meal. The way his brow crinkled together when he was really focused on something made her smile. Sometimes she caught the faintest trace of a blush when she lightly brushed her hand against his hand or face during particularly brutal meetings. She wondered to herself if perhaps these gestures were too blatant an indication of their relationship, but nobody else seemed to notice them. If they did, they didn't care enough to mention anything. Besides, she tried to make it seem like she was stirring him from a daydream. Knowing Gan Ning, She probably was.

Sun Shang Xiang blushed, remembering their departure that night. How much they risked for their little interlude, she will never be sure. The scandal of it all was almost too much. Almost. Honestly, it gave her a bit of a thrill to be that indecent in public. The giddy buzz of being discovered at any moment was satisfying to no end.

A thought occurred to her. _What if I snuck into his room? We could finish what we started_, she contemplated, giggling a bit. She was nineteen years old after all. Her mother was younger when she bore Quan and younger still when married to Sun Jian. These sorts of thoughts couldn't be out of place…could they?

Sun Shang Xiang rolled on her back, trying to get comfortable enough to get to sleep. When it finally arrived, she awoke the next morning with weird dreams.

A few weeks later found Sun Shang Xiang during a humid afternoon. It was difficult to do anything. She and Gan Ning went for a ride until their horses were panting as heavily as they were from the heat. Finding a secluded and sufficient patch of shade, Gan Ning flopped on the ground after dismounting and grabbing a small sack from his saddle. He laid back and pulled out two fuzzy peaches, tossing one to her as she dismounted. "What? Where did you get these?" she asked incredulously. Sun Shang Xiang laid on her back, perpendicular to his abdomen so she could use his stomach as a pillow.

He grinned, pleased for some reason, and looked down to her. Waggling his eyebrows, he asked, "How do you think I got them?"

"You'll hate my answer."

"Try me."

"You stole—"

"Found!" he cut her off quickly. She took a bit e and some of the juices dribbled accidentally out of the corner of her mouth. She quickly wiped it away. "Is it any good?"

"Delicious!" she gushed, eagerly taking another generous bite. As an afterthought, she added, "For stolen fruit, of course."

Gan Ning snorted into his peach, causing her to giggle. "Not stolen!" he announced indignantly. "You know, I should be more offended that you dare to impugn my honor!"

"Honor?" she mocked him playfully, crawling up to lay beside him. He nodded as he watched her, chewing his bite of peach thoughtfully. "You're running around with me behind everyone's backs."

"That's unfair!" he cried. She shushed him, barely able to contain her laughter at his incensed expression. "How can you accuse me of the same thing you are doing and not expect me to be upset?" he demanded, looking straight into her eyes.

"Because you're older. You should know better," she teased, rubbing her nose against his shoulder affectionately. He adjusted so he could put his arm around her. She snuggled up to him and rested her head on his shoulder as he pulled her up against him.

Gan Ning looked back up at the sunlight filtering down through the leaves. "If I should know better, you should too! You're the princess here," he chided, squeezing her. Before she could object, he kissed her forehead. "Whether you like it or not." She quietly finished her peach, tossing the pit over her shoulder. He did the same. They laid there quietly, simply listening. Their horses grazed somewhere nearby as their riders dozed off together, slipping in and out of sleep.

After their catnap, they remained cuddling on the ground at the base of the tree. "Have you heard about dialogue with Shu?" asked Gan Ning.

Sun Shang Xiang shook her head lazily. "What about it? What's going on?" she yawned, more interested in napping again more than discussing politics at the moment.

"Apparently we will be entering into an alliance with them. The only thing I figure we have in common with them is we both want to beat Cao Cao," he told her.

"It'll never work," she replied automatically.

"Why not? Zhou Yu seems excited to get a chance to talk with Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei," he asked.

"We have been fighting with them since my father was in power. And we have never been close politically either."

"Times change, Renxian, and you of all people should know this." He smiled gently at her.

"Yes but…wait. Did you just call me Renxian?" she asked, alarmed. "Who is Renxian?"

Gan Ning blushed. "Renxian is just a nickname I thought up for you a while ago. I didn't actually mean to use it," he admitted bashfully. He looked at her to see how she reacted.

She was looking at their horses, who were wandering back toward them after their little excursion. When she finally looked back at him, a broad smile spread across her face. "Sun Renxian. Sun Ren. I like it," she told him.

"Really?" he asked incredulously, sitting up. His mouth was ajar in pleasant surprise.

She sat up. "Really, Xingba," Sun Shang Xiang affirmed, blushing. "If you call me Renxian…well…." Her voice trailed off and she looked away, self-conscious.

Gan Ning gently turned her to face him. Beaming, he replied, "My style has never sounded sweeter." He brushed hair from her face and tenderly kissed her mouth.

* * *

Wow. This chapter took an inexcusable amount of time to finish! My schedule has not been conducive to typing and uploading this chapter. I feel like it ends abruptly, but this story deserves to be updated. Hopefully I will have an easier time writing and uploading the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading! I cannot express how much I appreciate it other than THANK YOU!!! :)


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